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Box Score | Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Ray Crossland knocked down a pair of free throws with 11 seconds in the game as the Eastern Illinois men's basketball team held off in-state rival Western Illinois in a 73-64 win in Lantz Arena on Saturday night.

EIU evened their season record with the win as the Panthers move to 2-2 on the season. WIU drops to 1-3 to begin the season.

Both teams started out cold from the field as Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois combined for just five points through the first four minutes in the first half. Muusa Dama gave the Panthers their first lead of the game at 4-3 after a dunk on an offensive rebound.

Demetrius McReynolds connected on a pair of free throws that sparked a 7-0 run as a jumper by Crossland extended the Panthers lead to 18-8 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.

Eastern Illinois extended their first half lead to 10 points after Crossland stole a pass from WIU's Delo Bruster and took the ball coast-to-coast for an easy fast break layup. Western Illinois cut the EIU lead in half after a 5-0 run capped off by three free throws from Garret Covington at the 2:43 mark in the first half.

EIU took a 35-28 lead into halftime after McReynolds scored on a layup just before the end of the half. McReynolds scored nine of his team-high 21 points in the first half.  
Eastern Illinois opened the second half on an 8-3 run as a Cornell Johnston 3-pointer at the 16:52 mark gave the Panthers a 12-point lead at 43-31. Johnston finished with 10 points in the game and four assists.

Western Illinois responded with a run of their own late in the second half. James Claar spotted up for a jumper with just over nine minutes remaining in the game and began a 11-5 run by the Leathernecks as a Bruster layup trimmed the EIU lead to five points at 61-56 with 4:18 remaining.

The Panthers on eight-straight free throws down the stretch to hold off the Western Illinois comeback as the Panthers finished 20-of-26 from the charity stripe.

Eastern Illinois had five players score in double figures led by McReynolds 21. Crossland (17), Goodwin (12), Johnston (10), Dama (10) also scored in double-digits for the Panthers. Dama and McReynolds corralled a team-high seven rebounds each.

Eastern Illinois will return to action on Monday at 12 p.m. as the Panthers will complete their home-and-home series with Troy for "Kids Day" in Lantz Arena.