Box Score

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CHARLESTON, Ill.  – Senior forward Sherman Blanford scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Panther men's basketball team to a 91-79 win over UT Martin on Thursday night inside Lantz Arena. EIU has won three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference games, moving to 6-5 in conference play and 9-14 overall.
 
For the second time in as many games, the Panthers trailed at halftime and engineered a second-half comeback. EIU hit 69.6 percent of its shot attempts in the second stanza, going 16-for-23 from the floor. The Panthers finished the contest with a .564 field-goal percentage (31-for-55).
 
Trailing 57-56 with 10:32 remaining in regulation, the Panthers went on an 11-1 run to take their first double-figure lead of the game, 67-57, at the 7:29 mark. EIU never relinquished the lead and outscored UT Martin, 32-22, in the final nine and a half minutes of play.
 
The first half had four ties and three lead changes with the Skyhawks posting their largest advantage of the game, 43-30, with 1:36 remaining before intermission. UT Martin was hot from the floor in the first half as they went 16-for-23 from the floor and 7-for-10 from behind the arc. The Skyhawks cooled off in the second stanza as they finished the game going 23-for-49 from the field and 7-for-21 from three-point range.
 
Three other Panthers scored in double figures as Dylan Chatman scored 19 points and Alex Austin and Josh Piper both added 11 points. EIU had 16 assists in the contest, led by Piper's game-high five assists.
 
EIU held a 30-25 advantage on the glass, led by Chatman's game-high nine rebounds. Blanford also added eight rebounds. The Panthers also forced 13 Skyhawk turnovers, converting the miscues into 19 points. Both teams shot well from the charity stripe as EIU was 20-for-25 and UT Martin was 26-for-32.
 
Myles Taylor led four Skyhawks in double figures with 17 points. Terence Smith added 14 points while Marshun Newell and Dee Oldham rounded out the scorers with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Mike Liabo led the team on the glass with five rebounds.
 
The Panthers return to action on Saturday, Feb. 8 as they play host to Southeast Missouri at 2 p.m.