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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois (7-9, 4-2 OVC) held Eastern Kentucky (9-3, 3-4 OVC) scoreless for the final 7:52 of the game as the Panthers ended an eight game losing skid to the Colonels with a 58-48 victory at Lantz Arena.
Senior Billy Parrish came alive in the second half scoring ten of his fifteen points in the second stanza hitting 4-of-7 from the floor. Ousmane Cisse collected his seventh career double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. EIU dominated the battle on the glass with a 44-24 advantage.
EKU's Mike Rose drained a 3-pointer at the 7:52 mark of the second giving the Colonels a 48-44 lead. Rose led all scorers with 27 points hitting 7-of-15 from 3-point range. EKU was 11-of-36 as a team from beyond the arc.
#T.J. Marion# trimmed the lead to 48-46 with a runner in the lane and tied the game with 3:04 left to play with another jumper in the paint. Parrish then put EIU up for good with a jumper with 2:20 remaining.
EIU would ice the contest with eight straight free throws. Romain Martin added 15 points and Tyler Laser 10.
EIU led 26-25 at the half as both teams shot below 35 percent. EIU warmed up to 50 percent in the second half as they finished hitting 41 percent for the game. EKU finished the night hitting 31 percent.
The Panthers host first place Morehead State on Saturday night at 7 p.m.