PDF Box |
Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois men's basketball once again played suffocating defense as they held Belmont to 38 percent shooting during an 84-73 win on Saturday afternoon in Lantz Arena. The win was the seventh in a row for the Panthers as they improved to 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 1985-86 when they were members of the Mid-Continent Conference.
EIU improved to 10-6 overall, 4-0 in the OVC. Belmont dropped to 10-6 overall, 2-1 in the OVC. EIU will play at Eastern Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday night.
Eastern Illinois slowly build a 39-26 halftime lead as the Panthers made timely baskets and frustrated the nation's ninth leading scorer Craig Bradshaw. The Panthers held Bradshaw to two first half points and nine for the game.
Reggie Smith gave EIU a seven point lead in the opening half with his jumper with 6:53 to play. EIU led 23-16 at that point. A jumper by Spencer Turner and three point play by Reece Chamberlain cut the margin to two points at 23-21 as Chamberlain converted with 5:02 to play.
The Panthers closed the half on a 16-5 run with lay-ups by
Trae Anderson,
Chris Olivier and a jumper by
Luke Norman starting the run. Smith made it a 16 point lead for EIU with a bucket with 12 seconds left in the half. Taylor Barnette hit a 3-pointer for Belmont as time expired. Smith was one of five EIU players in double figures finishing with 15 points.
Bradshaw would score his second basket of the game with 17:10 to play bringing EIU's lead back to single digits at 41-33.
EIU answered with the same six point offensive spurt it did in the first half with consecutive baskets by Anderson, Olivier and Norman. Anderson scored 13 points in his first action since the Cleveland State game. Anderson had missed the opening three OVC games due to injury. Olivier led EIU with 16 points while Norman was 4-of-4 from the floor scoring ten points.
Belmont would cut the lead to eight on a Mack Mercer jumper with 12:54 to go and Evan Bradds made it a seven point game with a pair of free throws with 1:18 to play. Belmont extended its full court defense midway through the second half forcing 16 EIU turnovers which they converted into 19 points. Bradds led the Bruins with 16 points.
Smith gave EIU its biggest lead of the second half with a lay-up with 6:07 to play. Smith,
Cornell Johnston and
Josh Piper each converted a pair of free throws in the final 1:05 of action. EIU ended the day shooting 59 percent from the floor including a 64 percent clip in the second half.
LeTrell Viser rounded out the EIU double figure scorers with 13 making 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
Barnette had 15 points and Chamberlain 14 to close out the top scorers for Belmont.
EIU's bench finished the game outscoring Belmont 54-13.