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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Twelve Eastern Illinois men's basketball players found their way into the scoring column Monday night as the Panthers beat Eureka College, 81-51, to improve to 1-1 on the season.   EIU has now won three of its last four home openers in Lantz Arena.  
 
Eureka College fell to 1-1 and 0-8 all-time against Eastern Illinois.   The Panthers return home to play UC Davis at 7 p.m. on Thursday night.
 
Chris Olivier scored in double figures for the second straight game leading all players with 13 as he made 6-of-9 from the floor.  Keenen Anderson had 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
 
EIU shot 50 percent for the game after hitting 55 percent in the opening half to build a 47-30 lead.  Eureka led early on as the Red Devils built a six point lead with 13:57 to play as Seth Wickert hit a lay-up. 
 
EIU would take the lead at 19-18 on a Jake Verhagen 3-pointer at the 11:41 mark and then take the lead for good on back-to-back baskets by Verhagen at the 10:21 and 9:55 marks of the first half.  Verhagen, who did not play in the opener at Missouri State, had nine points and eight rebounds.
 
EIU took its first double figure lead on a Dylan Chatman 3-pointer with 2:29 to play in the first giving the Panthers a 39-27 lead.  EIU closed the half on a 15-3 run.
 
The Panthers defense limited Eureka to 25 percent shooting for the game including a 19 percent second half effort.   EIU had a 44-31 rebound margin and a 16-5 assist advantage.   Freshman guard Cornell Johnston had a game high eight assists.
 
Parker Gibson was one of three Eureka players in double figures finishing with 12 points.