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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois (12-16, 8-9 OVC) closed to within two points midway through the second half before Austin Peay (16-12, 12-5 OVC) pulled away for a 69-54 win on Thursday night.
After leading 34-29 at the break, Austin Peay opened the second half with a 7-0 run capped by Kyle Duncan's 3-pointer at 17:23. APSU was 6-of-13 from 3-point range while EIU struggled from beyond the arc hitting only 1-of-10.
Trailing 41-29, EIU put together a 12-2 run over the next five minutes to close the margin to 43-31 at 12:36. Romain Martin had six points in the run while #T.J. Marion# added four. Martin would lead EIU with 14 points while Marion added 13 for the Panthers who shot 51 percent from the floor as a team.
Anthony Campbell ended the Panthers run with his second big 3-pointer of the game with 12:09 left. Duncan added a 3-pointer on the next possession as the Governors turned the offensive tide. Campbell was big off the bench for Austin Peay scoring 11 points with two 3-pointers and three free throws as he was fouled behind the arc to put APSU up ten points.
Jay Smith knocked down a pair of free throws for EIU but the Panthers could never get back inside double digits after Campbell answered with a running lay-up at 6:02.
Drake Reed was nearly unstoppable for Austin Peay to open the contest scoring 12 of the Governors first 14 points as he hit 8-of-11 first half shots for 20 first half points. Anthony Caldwell put APSU up 10 points with a 3-pointer at 4:45 and Reed drained a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left to give the Govs a 34-23 advantage. Reed finished with 28 points.
EIU responded with six straight points in the final seconds to close the halftime margin to 34-29. Ousmane Cisse had a put-back basket with 24 seconds left to spark the run. Freshman Jeremy Granger then drove the court with 7 seconds left and made a lay-up with 1.7 seconds left. He was fouled on the play but missed the free throw. Marion scooped up the loose ball and sank a jumper as time expired.
EIU will play at Tennessee State on Saturday night with the winner of that game claiming the number six seed in the OVC Tournament, the loser playing as the number seven seed.
Tyler Laser finished 0-for-1 at the free throw line as his streak of 45 straight free throws came to an end one shy of matching the OVC record of 46 straight set by Glen Napier of Morehead State in 1982.
