Box Score

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MURRAY, Ky.  – The Panther men's basketball team dropped a 72-60 contest at Murray State on Saturday night inside the CFSB Center in front of an announced crowd of 3,846. EIU falls to 9-17 (6-8 OVC) on the year.
 
Sherman Blanford scored a game-high 26 points as the senior forward went 9-for-17 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the foul line. He has now scored 20 or more points in five consecutive games.
 
Chris Olivier scored 14 points to round out the double figure scorers for EIU while Dylan Chatman added eight points and team-high four assists.
 
Trailing 15-10 with 10:45 left in the first half, the Panthers scored six unanswered points to take their only lead of the game, 16-15, on a layup by Olivier. Murray State responded by going on a 14-4 run, taking its largest lead of the half, 29-20, with 2:05 on the clock. EIU went on a 7-0 run to get within two (29-27) before Cameron Payne hit a three pointer in the closing seconds of the stanza to give the Racers a 32-27 advantage heading into the locker room.
 
The Racers opened the second half on a 14-8 run to take their first double-figure lead of the game, 46-35, at the 16:04 mark. Murray State never trailed in the second half, but EIU was able to chip away into the lead and get within four (58-54) with just over six minutes remaining in regulation. The Racers eventually pulled away late in the contest as they led by as many as 14 points (72-58) with 22 seconds remaining on the clock.  
 
EIU went 21-for-51 from the floor and 2-for-11 from three-point range. The Panthers also went 16-for-17 from the foul line, including a 12-for-12 mark in the second half.
 
Murray State out rebounded EIU, 31-28, on the night and was paced by Jarvis Williams who had eight rebounds. Blanford paced the Panthers on the glass with eight rebounds.
 
Jeffery Moss led four Racers in double figures with 18 points while T.J. Sapp added 13 points. The Racers hit 51.2 percent of its shot attempts (22-for-43) and went 6-for-15 from behind the arc. Murray State also went 22-for-32 from the foul line.
 
 
The Panthers return to action on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Belmont. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.