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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois defense clamped down defensively midway through the second half and used a key 10-2 run in the final six minutes of the game as the Panthers handed South Alabama its first loss of the season with a 72-62 win on Saturday afternoon at Lantz Arena.
EIU improved to 4-2 on the season and will wrap up its four-game home stand on Tuesday evening hosting Bradley. South Alabama dropped to 5-1 on the year. The Jaguars were ranked No. 23 in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll.
Leading 36-33 at the half Eastern Illinois held South Alabama to only two free throws for just over eight minutes as EIU opened a 46-44 lead at the 14:43 mark into a 56-46 lead until 6:30 remained in the game. Nick Stover broke the long field goal drought with a 3-pointer that cut the Panthers lead to seven points. Stover was one of two USA players in double figures finishing with 13.
During the defensive stand EIU scored on jumpers by
Cornell Johnston,
Ray Crossland,
Montell Goodwin and
Patrick Muldoon. Goodwin's jumper was a 3-pointer as he was one of five EIU players in double figures with 14 points.
South Alabama closed the gap to five with 5:19 to play on a jumper by Shaq Calhoun. EIU answered with a 10-2 run that gave the Panthers a 13 point lead with 3:01 to play on another 3-ponter by Goodwin.
Stover sank three free throws with 24 seconds left to cut the lead to seven points. Crossland and Johnston put the game away as EIU scored its final six points at the free throw line.
USA shot 50 percent in the first half before EIU limited the Jaguars to 39 percent shooting in the second half. EIU finished the game shooting 44 percent from the floor and 45 percent from 3-point range.
The two teams had five ties in the first half with South Alabama taking the lead at 11-10 with 14:26 to play in the first half. EIU led by as many as seven points in the first half.
Crossland led EIU with 15 points and three steals. As a team EIU had 11 steals marking the third straight game that EIU posted double digit steals.
Muusa Dama just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Johnston had ten points, eight assists.
Demetrius McReynolds finished with ten.
Ken Williams led all players with 24 points scoring 12 in each half for South Alabama.