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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Nine total players scored in double figures. Two players posted double-doubles. At the end of the night Eastern Illinois walked away with a 97-85 shootout win over Eastern Kentucky in a game televised nationally on CBS Sports Net Thursday night in Lantz Arena.
The win pushed EIU's record to 5-12 overall, 2-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers will host Morehead State on Saturday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. to wrap up play against the OVC East Division. EKU dropped to 11-8 overall, 2-2 in the OVC.
Demetrius McReynolds posted his second double-double of the season as the junior had the hot hand in the first half leading EIU to a 55-44 lead at the break. McReynolds scored 19 of his career high 27 points in the first half as he finished the night 5-of-8 from 3-point range. He added 10 rebounds as the Panthers held the advantage on the glass by a 31-27 margin.
Freshman Nick Mayo held EKU in the game with 16 of his 23 points in the first half as the Colonels played a majority of the first half without the services of the OVC scoring leader, Jarelle Reischel. Reischel had three first half fouls and picked up his fourth early in the second half as he finished with 10 points, half of his season average.
The Colonels actually shot better from the field than EIU in the first half as EKU connected for 63 percent from the field. EIU hit 57 percent from the field in the opening half but was 9-of-15 from 3-point range.
After Greg King tied the game at 32-32 with 8:13 to play in the first, EIU went on a 9-0 run to give themselves a little breathing room.
Casey Teson and McReynolds connected on 3-pointers with
Trae Anderson capping the run with an old fashioned three point play. Teson was one of five EIU players in double figures with 12 points. Anderson just missed joining the group with nine points.
EKU cut the lead back to five points with a Mayo lay-up with 42 seconds remaining in the half. EIU closed the half with 3's by
A.J. Riley and McReynolds. Riley had 13 points for the Panthers.
The Colonels battled back in the first five minutes of the second half cutting the lead to five points. Jaylen Babb-Harrison hit a pair of 3-pointers and Javontae Hawkins' dunk cut the EIU lead to 61-56 with 15:02 remaining.
Panthers head coach
Jay Spoonhour inserted senior forward
Luke Piotrowski who had played only two minutes since the Dec. 19 game at Houston. Piotrowski went 5-for-5 from the field added 11 points with three rebounds and two blocks in ten minutes. After Babb-Harrison sank his third 3-pointer of the second half at the 12:13 mark trimming the lead to eight, Piotrowski scored four straight points and the Panthers never looked back.
Guard
Cornell Johnston posted his first career double-double late in the game finishing with 13 points and ten assists. EIU finished the game shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from the floor.
EKU cooled down in the second shooting 48 percent to finish at 55 percent for the game. Babb-Harrison had 13 points off the bench for the Colonels. Paul Jackson rounded out the double figure EKU scorers with 14.