RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team opened the 1998-99 season with a win in its only exhibition contest of the year. The Lady Colonels defeated visiting Sports Reach Crusaders by a score of 93-84 last Wednesday night.

Eastern head coach Larry Joe Inman used a number of different combinations trying to find the best five as the season officially gets under way next week.

"I don't think it was any secret watching us play," said Inman. "We were experimenting with different combinations and different folks, in and out. When you play a game like this, it gives us an opportunity to do that. Hopefully, as the year goes on, we'll settle into a lineup."

Leading the way for the Lady Colonels was second-year forward Charlotte Sizemore who contributed 22 points, five assists, six rebounds, one blocked shot and two steals for EKU. She hit 50 percent from everywhere as she knocked down 9-18 from the floor, while going 2-4 from both the charity stripe and from behind the 3-point arc.

A number of Lady Colonels put up solid numbers for Eastern. Senior Shannon Browning added 15 points and five rebounds in only 16 minutes of play. Sophomore center Candice Finley contributed with 11 points, five rebounds, one blocked shot and two steals in 20 minutes. Junior Marla Gearhart struggled shooting the ball, but really stepped up when the team needed her. She added seven points, five assists, four rebounds and one steal, most of that coming late in the game.

The Lady Colonels shot the ball well from the floor, connecting on 45.1 percent of their field goal attempts. However, the team did struggle with 3-pointers (25 %) and free throw shooting (56.5 %). Hustle made a big difference in this contest as well as the Lady Colonels outrebounded the Crusaders, 63-41.

Eastern had to weather a late storm by Sport Reach's Sarah Hillyer.  Hillyer knocked down seven (of 16) three-pointers to finish the game with 22 points, all coming in the second half.  Early in the second period, Hillyer canned five straight treys to pull the Crusaders to within eight points.  Sports Reach would later cut it to a six-point deficit, but could get no closer in the closing minutes.  Tammy Akin led all scorers with a 27-point performance.  She also added 11 rebounds, five assists and one steal for Sports Reach.

The Lady Colonels will open the regular season with a trip to Kansas State on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7:00 PM EST. The home opener will be Nov. 21 against Miami University. That contest is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM in McBrayer Arena.