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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Playing one of the first games of the day on national television Eastern Illinois quickly built a 24-10 midway through the first half as the Panthers pushed past Southeast Missouri, 88-68, on Saturday morning at Lantz Arena. The game was telecast on ESPNU, one of two nationally televised games from Lantz Arena this year.
EIU improved to 10-5 overall, 4-1 in the OVC which marks the second best start to a season by the Panther program in the NCAA Division I history of the program. SEMO fell to 5-10, 2-3 in the OVC.
Tyler Laser led the Panthers with 20 points and was hot early from the field after going 0-for-7 from the field in the Panthers last game. Laser scored six of the Panthers first 15 points as they built a 15-7 lead at 12:58 as Laser connected on three free throw attempts.
Following a bucket and free throw by SEMO's Cameron Butler, EIU went on a 16-3 run that stretched the Panthers lead to 31-13 with just under eight minutes left to play. Romain Martin sparked the run with a lay-up and 3-pointer as he finished with eight points off the bench to move into 19th place on the Panthers career scoring list.
EIU led 49-29 at the break as they shot 53 percent in the first half while holding SEMO to just 38 percent from the field including only a 1-for-9 effort from beyond the arc.
The Panthers extended their lead to 25 points at the 16:22 mark on a Curry McKinney 3-pointer and never looked back in second half. EIU was 8-of-16 from 3-point range with Laser hitting 4-of-8, Martin 2-of-2 and McKinney 2-of-3. SEMO was limited to just 6-of-24 from outside.
SEMO would trim the lead to 18 with 3:17 left in the game on a LaQuentin Miles jumper for their smallest deficit in the second half. The Redhawks were led by Butler with 17 points as he hit 7-of-10 from the field. LaMont Russell pulled down 13 rebounds.
EIU had a balanced scoring effort as Ousmane Cisse was the only other Panther player to hit double figures besides Laser with 20. Cisse had ten points and pulled in eight rebounds as EIU won the battle on the glass 42-35.
EIU returns to action on Monday night with a 7 p.m. game at Murray State.
