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JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – In a game of streaks, Eastern Illinois was able to put together final one as the Panthers (5-8, 2-1 OVC) picked up a 78-69 win at Jacksonville State (7-4, 1-1 OVC) to hand the Gamecocks their first home loss of the season.
After trailing in the first couple of minutes 7-4, Eastern Illinois exploded for a 20-1 run that extended the Panthers lead to 22-8 as Tyler Laser and Romain Martin connected on back-to-back 3-pointers at 13:08 and 11:05.
Geddes Robinson ended a 5:30 JSU draught at 10:39 that closed the lead to 22-10. The Gamecocks used a 10-2 that cut the EIU advantage to 29-23 with 3:44 left.
However as the teams were heading to the benches for the under four minute break, JSU head coach James Green was assessed with a technical foul. Laser would convert those two free throws and Jeremy Granger knocked down two free throws on the next possession as EIU ended the half with a 12-4 run to lead 41-27 at the break. Laser had 16 first half points hitting 3-of-4 from 3-point range.
Billy Parrish converted a reverse lay-up at 16:55 to give the Panthers their biggest lead at 47-32.
Jacksonville State then mounted a 16-0 run behind the hot outside shooting of Jonathan Toles and DeAndre Bray. They combined for four 3-pointers and Amadou Mbodji had a jumper in the paint to give JSU the 51-49 lead at 11:48. Parrish answered with a jumper in the paint as the Panthers lone senior finished with a career high 15 points.
Parrish then had back-to-back lay-ups that capped a 9-0 EIU run that gave the Panthers a 62-56 lead with 7:27 left in the game. JSU would close to four points on a Nick Murphy jumper but never came closer. EIU hit eight free throws down the final minute and half to ice the game.
All five starters for EIU finished in double figures as the Panthers picked up their first road win of the season. EIU travels to Tennessee Tech for a Monday night contest.
Ousmane Cisse had his sixth career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Laser led EIU with 22 points while #T.J. Marion# had 15 and Martin 12.
JSU was led by Jeremy Bynum with 15 points while Toles had 14. The two combined for 8-of-22 from 3-point range as the Gamecocks converted 11-of-30 as a team.
