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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
ROCHESTER, Mich. – Eastern Illinois won its first postseason game as an NCAA Division I school on Tuesday night with 97-91 win at Oakland in the opening round of the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). EIU held on for the win after leading by as many as 17 points late in the second half.
EIU improved to 18-14 and will find out its second round CIT opponent later in the week. Oakland finished the season at 16-17 as EIU snapped an 11-game home winning streak by the Golden Grizzlies in the O'rena.
Oakland and Eastern Illinois traded baskets early with Dante Williams providing offense for Oakland while the Panthers had a balanced offensive attack.
EIU took its first lead with 8:22 to play in the first as
Trae Anderson hit a 3-pointer giving EIU a 22-20 lead. It was one of nine first half 3-pointers hit by the Panthers as they shot 50 percent (9-of-18) in the opening 20 minutes. EIU finished the game shooting 15-of-31 from beyond the arc.
The Panthers extended the lead to eight points as
Dylan Chatman converted a three point play and knocked down a 3-pointer with 7:06 to play as Chatman had nine first half points. The senior finished with 17 points.
Chris Olivier pushed the lead to ten points and following a Williams 3-pointer for the Golden Grizzlies
Reggie Smith again gave EIU a ten point lead at 38-28 with 4:33 to play. Williams had 15 first half points for Oakland finishing the game with 19 points.
Oakland closed the half on a 13-4 run as EIU led 42-41 at the half. Nick Daniels gave Oakland back the lead with 1:47 to play.
Trae Anderson gave EIU the lead back with a jumper with 38 seconds left and
Anthony Johnson scored the final EIU basket of the half.
EIU continued to apply offensive pressure in the second half as EIU finished the game shooting 55 percent. The Panthers extended the lead back to double figures on a
Josh Piper 3-pointer with 16:26 to go. Kahlil Felder knocked down a pair of free throws and then
Cornell Johnston answered with a floater in the lane. The OVC Freshman of the Year finished with eight points and 11 assists.
EIU stretched the lead to 17 points on a dunk by Chatman with 7:35 to play as EIU lead 80-63. Each team traded buckets before Felder took over for the Golden Grizzlies.
Felder scored 37 points to go along with 11 assists. Felder had 16 points in the final 5:53 of the game as Oakland closed to within four points on a Felder lay-up with 1:24 to play.
Smith scored six of EIU's final eight points including four points at the free throw line. Smith led EIU with 26 points knocking down all eight free throws. Anderson added 19 points off the bench as EIU had three players score in double figures. Piper was 3-of-3 from 3-point range finishing with nine points.
Corey Petros had 12 points for Oakland.