Box Score

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CHARLESTON, Ill. – IPFW used a late run to pull away from the Panther men's basketball team, 71-65, on Wednesday night inside Lantz Arena. EIU dropped to 3-3 on the year.
 
Neither team led by more than two possessions until the Mastodons (6-2) used a 12-0 run in the second half capped by a Joe Edwards layup with 7:06 left in the game to put IPFW ahead, 57-45. EIU responded with a 16-9 run with just over a minute remaining in regulation to get within five (66-61), but the Mastodons went 5-for-8 from the foul line down the stretch to hold off the Panther comeback. IPFW finished the contest going 23-for-36 from the charity stripe.
 
EIU had its largest lead, 20-14, at the 8:23 mark in the first half after a made three pointer by Alex Austin. IPFW then outscored the Panthers, 14-9, to take a 31-29 lead into intermission. Both squads hit 50 percent of their field goal attempts in the first half.
 
Sherman Blanford led four EIU players in double figures with 17 points as the senior forward went 5-for-8 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the foul line. He also had a team-high three assists and three blocks.
 
Dennis Green added 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting while Austin and Reggie Smith scored 15 and 10 points, respectively. EIU finished the contest hitting 51.1 percent of its shots (23-for-45). EIU also went 6-for-14 from behind the arc and 13-for-16 from the foul line.
 
IPFW out rebounded the Panthers, 33-16, on the night with Blanford and Josh Piper leading EIU on the glass with three rebounds each. Steve Forbes and Pierre Bland paced the Mastodons with eight rebounds each.
 
Forbes scored a game-high 19 points while Michael Kibiloski added 12 points. Bland chipped in eight points and a game-high seven assists. IPFW finished the contest hitting 48.8 percent of its field-goal attempts (21-for-43).
 
The Panthers return to action at Western Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m.