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CHARLESTON, Ill. - Tennessee State's Bruce Price sank the game winner with 3.1 seconds remaining to lift the Tigers to a 74-72 win over Eastern Illinois. TSU improved to 3-5, 1-1 OVC while EIU dropped to 1-8, 0-2 OVC.
The teams traded the lead down the stretch as game had four ties and seven lead changes over the final 5:32. Price's bucket came after Bobby Catchings had hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 72-72 with 32 seconds left. Price finished with 21 points as three Tiger players reached double figures. Gerald Robinson added 18.
The win over shadowed a solid effort by Catchings who led all players with 25 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 12-of-15 from the free throw line. Roman Martin added 24 for the Panthers.
EIU led by 13 at the break as the Panthers limited Tennessee State to just 28 percent shooting. Catchings had 15 in the first half as EIU built a 39-26 lead. The Panthers converted 16-of-19 free throws in the first 20 minutes.
TSU slowly cut into the EIU lead over the first 15 minutes of the second half. The Panthers were able to respond to a couple of early Tiger runs as Jake Byrne and Mike Robinson hit back-to-back shots to keep Eastern Illinois lead at 10 points with 13:53 remaining – EIU led 49-39.
Price hit a 3-pointer on the next possession and TSU cut the lead to two points at the 6:51 mark as Darius Cox knocked down a jumper. Gerald Robinson gave TSU its first second half lead at 65-64 as he finished off a steal by Rashad Armstrong.
Eastern Illinois answered on a Mike Robinson 3-pointer and a pair of free throws by Catchings at the 1:32 mark gave the Panthers a late two-point lead at 71-69. TSU would score five of the games final six points to pick up the win.
Tennessee State shot 67 percent in the second half while EIU hit 53 percent in the final 20 minutes. TSU won the battle on the boards 30-29. Catchings was the Panthers top rebounder with seven while Cox had five to lead TSU.
Eastern Illinois returns to action on Monday, Dec. 17 at Eastern Kentucky.
