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CHICAGO –
Cornell Johnston scored 21 points including five straight that stopped a UIC second half surge as Eastern Illinois picked up a 90-76 road win on Sunday afternoon at UIC.
EIU improved to 5-3 on the season and will play at Northern Kentucky on Wednesday. UIC fell to 4-4 on the year.
Leading 41-30 at the half the Panthers opened the second half on a 12-3 run with
Montell Goodwin knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers that pushed the Panthers lead to 53-33 with 17:25 to play. Goodwin was one of four EIU players in double figures finishing with 19 points, all in the second half.
EIU led by as many as 23 points with 14:24 to play in the second half on a 3-pointer by
Casey Teson. EIU was 8-of-12 from 3-point range in the second half and 12-of-22 for the game finishing at 54.5 percent.
UIC slowly chipped away at the big lead by getting to the foul line and getting points in transition. UIC was 23-of-34 from the free throw line for the game including 14-of-18 in the second half. A 3-pointer by Dominique Matthews with 4:34 to play cut the Panthers lead down to ten points at 73-63.
Johnston answered with a 3-pointer on the next EIU possession and following a Panthers steal on the defensive end of the floor, Johnston hit a runner in the lane. Johnston added another 3-pointer and a pair of free throws in the final three minutes of the game. Johnston led all players with 21 points adding nine assists.
As a team EIU was 9-fo-10 from the free throw line in both halves finishing 18-of-20. Goodwin was 7-of-8 at the stripe. Teson was 4-of-4 from the foul line finishing with 12 points.
Ray Crossland was the fourth EIU player in double figures with 11 points.
After being out-rebounded by Bradley on Tuesday by 23 rebounds, the Panthers attacked the glass. EIU finished the game with a 46-37 rebound margin.
Aboubacar Diallo pulled down a career high 14 rebounds while
Patrick Muldoon added a career high 10 rebounds.
Marcus Ottey was the Flames top scorer with 16 points off the bench. The Panthers held Dikembe Dixson to ten points with four points in the first half. Dixson entered the game as the fourth leading scorer in the NCAA at 24.4 points per game. UIC finished the game shooting 39 percent from the floor.