CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois had four players score in double figures Sunday afternoon with three of the four players new to the Panthers roster this season.
Montell Goodwin led EIU with 17 points as the Panthers picked up a 94-58 exhibition win over Eureka College in Lantz Arena.
Newcomer
Ray Crossland scored the first five points for EIU as they jumped out a 5-0 lead in the opening minute of action. Crossland would finish the game with 12 points.
Kendall Davis drained a 3-pointer with 15:45 to play in the opening half that brought the Red Devils within in one point. Three point shooting would be a highlight for Eureka College in the game as they went 5-of-11 from 3-point range in the first half and opened the second half with three straight 3's.
The Panthers slowly opened the lead to double figures with 8:21 to play in the first half on a jumper by
Muusa Dama. Dama was a force for the Panthers inside finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.
Goodwin scored ten of his 17 points in the first half as EIU led 45-30. EIU held a 20-8 points in the paint advantage in the first half and finished the game with a 35-13 points in the paint advantage.
Eureka College opened the second half with three straight 3-pointers as Hank Thomas knocked down the first triple and Parker Gibson followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to trim EIU's lead to 45-39 with 18:34 to play.
After Goodwin ended the Red Devils first run of the second half, Thomas would sink a pair of three throws with 7:45 to play that once again cut the Panthers lead to single digits at 64-56. Thomas was one of two Eureka College players in double figures finishing with 13 points. Thomas is the son of former EIU All-American guard Charlie Thomas, a member of the Panthers All-Century team.
Free throws by Dama and
Casey Teson gave EIU a double figure lead for the final time as the Panthers closed the game on a 30-2 run.
Demetrius McReynolds was the final EIU player to score in double figures with ten points.
Aboubacar Diallo led the Panthers with eight rebounds as EIU won the battle on the glass by a 51-25 margin.
Shea Feehan led Eureka College with 16 points as the Red Devils cooled off late in the second half to finish the game shooting 32 percent from the floor.
EIU opens the regular season on Friday hosting Saint Francis (Ill.) at 7:30 p.m.