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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois defense limited the nation's fourth best 3-point shooting team, Jacksonville State, to just 11 percent shooting from beyond the arc on Saturday afternoon. However, the game came down to free throws in the final seconds at JSU beat EIU, 57-56, in Ohio Valley Conference action from Lantz Arena.
JSU improved to 9-7 overall, 2-0 in the OVC. EIU fell to 8-6, 0-1 in the OVC.
JSU took a 56-53 lead with 16 seconds remaining in the game as Norbertas Giga made a lay-up in the lane. EIU cut the margin down to one point with a pair of
Ray Crossland free throws with nine seconds left.
Malcolm Drumright was fouled on the inbounds pass but converted only one of two free throws to give the Gamecocks a 57-55 lead. EIU junior guard
Cornell Johnston drove to the lane as was fouled with 0.7 seconds remaining. He converted the first shot but missed the second and Christian Cunningham pulled down the rebound to seal the win for JSU. Cunningham finished the game with 19 rebounds including seven on the offensive glass.
JSU finished the game with a 44-38 rebound margin with 13 second chance points in the contest. Giga joined Cunningham in double figures for rebounds pulling down 11 to go with 15 points.
Muusa Dama had a double-double for EIU with ten points and 15 rebounds. Dama had 11 of his rebounds in the first half.
EIU led 32-25 at the half after limiting JSU to 1-of-12 on 3-point shooting.
Joe Kuligoski had a pair of 3-pointers off the bench his second one coming with 4:48 to play in the first half as EIU closed the half with a 15-5 run.
Demetrius McReynolds hit a 3-pointer to close the half as he had ten points in the game.
JSU took the second half lead with 9:23 to play on a three point play by Erik Durham. Giga followed with back-to-back baskets as JSU used a 9-0 run to build a 50-43 lead with 8:14 to play. Durham had 14 points.
The Panthers were able to cut the JSU lead to one on six occasions in the final 6:15 but the Panthers could never tie or take the lead after Durham's basket at the midway point.
Johnston added ten points for EIU to give the Panthers three double figure scorers. Greg Tucker had 12 points to round out the double figure scorers for JSU.