PDF Box |
TROY, Ala. – Eastern Illinois tied the game on a
Montell Goodwin runner with 24 seconds remaining only to have Jordon Varnado cap off his big night with a basket with 3.4 seconds remaining to lift Troy to a 70-67 win at Trojan Arena.
EIU trailed by 11 points at halftime as Varnado had 15 of his 22 points in the opening half to give Troy a 38-27 halftime lead.
Troy improved to 2-0. EIU fell to 1-1 and will play on Thursday night at Saint Louis.
The Panthers held Troy to 28 percent shooting from the field in the second half as they slowly chipped away at the Trojans lead.
Casey Teson cut the Troy lead to 62-61 with a jumper with 4:19 to play.
Each time EIU was able to get within striking distance Troy answered getting to the foul line. The Trojans were 17-of-25 from the free throw line in the second half and 25-of-36 for the game.
Trailing 67-65, Goodwin missed a 3-pointer that would have given the Panthers the lead. He followed his shot picking up the offensive board and putting it back in to tie the game at 67-67. Goodwin had a team-high 18 points for EIU scoring 14 of them in the second half.
Troy had the final possession and went to Varnado who knocked down a 19 foot shot with 3.4 seconds left in the game. EIU had a long inbound pass that went out-of-bounds forcing the Panthers to foul. EIU still had a chance after Troy made one of two free throws.
Ray Crossland's shot to tie the game at the buzzer from half court glanced off the right side of the rim.
EIU shot 28 percent in the first half but warmed up in the second half shooting 47 percent in the second half. Teson had 17 points for EIU leading the Panthers with nine first half points.
Cornell Johnston finished with 11 points.
Muusa Dama pulled down 10 rebounds.
Wesley Person finished with 14 points but was held without a 3-pointer snapping the nation's longest streak of consecutive games with a made 3-pointer at 61 games. Alex Hicks had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Varnado also pulled down ten points.
Troy had a 22-6 points in the paint first half advantage. EIU cut into that margin as Troy ended the game with a 32-20 margin.