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PEORIA, Ill. - Eastern Illinois scored the final seven points of the game with five free throws and a jumper by Jeremy Granger as the Panthers pulled away for a 63-56 win over Bradley at Carver Arena. 

EIU improved to 2-3 on the year winning their second straight game. The Braves dropped to 4-2 on the year. 

EIU opened with an 8-0 lead on five points by Curry McKinney and a three point play by Shaun Pratl. Bradley would battle back to take the lead on three straight 3-pointers including two by Dyricus Simms-Edwards. 

Tyler Laser would answer for the Panthers with eight straight points of his own to extend EIU's lead to 25-16 with 11:12 to go in the half. Laser scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half. EIU would shoot 48 percent from the field to hold a 35-28 halftime lead. McKinney added 11 first half points for EIU while Andrew Warren had 11 first half points for the Braves. 

The Panthers would build their lead to 12 points at the 12:01 mark as McKinney hit one of two free throws. McKinney would lead EIU in scoring with 22 points. 

Bradley would rely on Warren to get back in the game as the senior guard scored ten straight points to tie the game at 56-56. His free throws at the 2:11 mark gave him a game high 23 points. 

Granger would then come through for the Panthers as he broke the tie with a pair of free throws at the 1:47 mark. Granger's jumper at the free throw line with 20 seconds remaining would seal the win for the Panthers as he finished with 12 points. 

EIU would force 23 Bradley turnovers including collecting 16 steals. The Panthers had 16 points off of turnovers. EIU shot 41 percent for the game but held Bradley to 37 percent. 

EIU will return to action on Saturday with a 7 p.m. game at South Dakota State. The game is the return of the home-and-home series that starter with the season opener at Lantz Arena. SDSU won that game 67-55.