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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Two of the highest scoring teams in the Ohio Valley Conference slowed it down on Thursday night as Tennessee State ground out a 55-46 win over Eastern Illinois in Lantz Arena.  This was the lone meeting between the two schools this season in the new OVC schedule format.

TSU improved to 11-10, 4-4 in the OVC as they snapped a nine game OVC road losing streak.  EIU fell to 9-8 overall, 2-3 in the OVC.  The Panthers host Austin Peay on Saturday at 6 p.m.

TSU limited EIU to only 31 percent shooting in the first half as they built a 29-23 lead.  EIU freshman Joey Miller was the lone offensive spark for the Panthers scoring 17 of his game high 19 points in the half.  Miller was 6-of-13 from the field and 2-of-6 from 3-point range in the half.  He finished 7-of-18 from the field.

Kellan Thornton put TSU up 18-9 when he converted a three point play at the 9:54 mark.  His free throw capped an 11-0 Tigers run.  Nick McFarlin's tip in at the 6:54 mark brought EIU to within four points.  Wil Peters drained a 3-pointer with just over four minutes left in the half to put TSU up 11. 

Buckets by Zavier Sanders and Taylor Jones in the first five minutes of the second half helped EIU get the game to one possession as Jones 3-pointer made it 33-30 TSU.  The Tigers answered on a Peters jumper and put-back by Kenny Moore.  Peters had 12 points as he was one of three TSU players to reach double figures.

Jeremy Granger closed Tennessee State's lead to one point at 41-40 with 6:08 remaining but EIU was unable to keep TSU off the glass on a missed shot on the next possession.  Robert Covington grabbed the offensive rebound for a put-back.  Peters hit a 3-pointer to increase TSU's lead to six points with 5:13 left.  EIU was unable to get it back to a one possession game the last five minutes.

Granger finished with 10 points for EIU.  Covington had 11 for TSU while Thornton led the Tigers with 14 points. 

EIU finished the game shooting 36 percent including a 3-for-21 effort from 3-point range.  The Panthers were only able to get to the free throw three times sinking all three attempts.