NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Winthrop Eagles used a dominant second quarter to pull away from the Southern Illinois Salukis, securing a 75-61 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game at Allen Arena on Tuesday.

A tightly contested first quarter saw Southern Illinois hold a narrow 19-14 lead, but the game turned decisively in the second period. The Eagles’ defense clamped down, holding the Salukis to just 10 points while their offense erupted for 19, sending Winthrop into halftime with a 33-29 advantage.

The Eagles continued to build on their lead after the break, outscoring Southern Illinois 22-11 in the third quarter to effectively put the game out of reach. Despite a late push from the Salukis, who won the fourth quarter 21-20, Winthrop maintained a comfortable double-digit lead for the entirety of the final period.

Winthrop’s offensive effort was led by a trio of high-scoring guards. Amourie Porter, a 5-foot-10 sophomore from Glen Burnie, Maryland, paced the Eagles with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes. Mya Pierfax, a 5-9 sophomore from Lake Elsinore, California, also scored 18 points, adding three rebounds, two assists and a block while playing a team-high 37 minutes. Madison Ruff of Sparta, Georgia, contributed 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and a block.

The Eagles also controlled the glass, with Tocarra Johnson of Crockett, Texas, pulling down seven rebounds to go with nine points. Ryiah Wilson of South Bend, Indiana, added nine points and four rebounds.

For Southern Illinois, now 1-3 on the season, Jeniah Thompson came off the bench to score a team-high 13 points and grab four rebounds. Alayna Kraus of Okawville, Illinois, also scored 13 points and dished out three assists. Hiba Malkawi from Plano, Texas, provided a spark with nine points and four rebounds, while Indya Green of Springfield, Missouri, hauled in eight rebounds to go with eight points.

The win improves Winthrop’s record to 4-3 as they continue a challenging early-season schedule. The game was part of a multi-team event, with an announced attendance of 223.

Winthrop is scheduled to face SMU on Wednesday, also in Nashville. Southern Illinois will also remain in Nashville for its next contest, taking on Arkansas on Wednesday.