RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team lost to the University of Louisville in the first game of the Seelbach Tournament Monday night, 87-49.

Spelling defeat for the Lady Colonels was not only poor shooting as the team only connected on 26 percent of its shots from the field, but perhaps the most devastating loss in the game was that of junior guard Marla Gearhart. Gearhart entered the game as EKU's leading scorer, contributing nearly 16 points per outing. But only two minutes into the contest, Gearhart went down hard, grasping for her left knee. Although it is only preliminary, it is believed Gearhart will be lost for the season with a torn ACL.

"As early as it happened," said EKU head coach Larry Joe Inman, "it was devastating. It was devastating in tonight's game and it will be devastating on our season until we play through this and others step up.

"Marla was the heartbeat of this team," continued Inman. "She was the leading scorer and a preseason All-Conference selection. Now, someone else will have to pick up that role. We don't know who yet, but we'll call on all of them and look for someone to step up. She will see the doctor tomorrow and then we will know more about her injury."

Before Gearhart went down, she had just popped a three-pointer, cutting Louisville's lead to 4-3. On the next possession for Louisville, Gearhart suffered her injury. Over the next four minutes, Louisville went on an 10-4 run, making the score 14-7. EKU quickly cut the deficit to five at 16-11, but could get no closer.

The first half ended with Eastern Kentucky unable to score. The Lady Colonels were unable to find the basket in the final 4:52 of the first half, and Louisville made the most of it, scoring eight unanswered points to extend its lead to 42-24.

The second half began just as the first ended, with Eastern struggling to score. The Lady Colonels opened the second half scoreless, not getting one in the net for nearly five minutes. Louisville extended its lead to 56-24 before sophomore forward Charlotte Sizemore finally ended Eastern's drought by scoring on a 10-foot jump shot. That not only ended the team's scoreless run, but also Sizemore's. The 5-11 forward had missed her previous nine attempts before connecting on the jumper. Overall, the Lady Colonels shot a dismal 20 percent from the floor in the second half.

"This was one of the poorest shooting nights I can remember in all my years of coaching," said Inman. "We had our chances, we just could not put it in the basket. I would be concerned if we were not getting any chances, but we just couldn't get anything to fall for us tonight."

Sizemore ended the night leading the Lady Colonels as she contributed 13 points, all in the second half. She also added four rebounds and two blocked shots. Senior forward Jennifer King added nine rebounds and four points in 25 minutes of action.

Overall, however, the Lady Colonels were outrebounded, 44-62. Twenty-one of Louisville's rebounds came off the offensive glass.

"When you give up 21 offensive rebounds, that gives the opponent a chance to score 42 points," continued Inman. "We can't let that happen."

The loss drops the Lady Colonels to 4-4 overall as they will try to rebound Tuesday night against Kent in the consolation game of the tournament. That game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

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