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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Terrell Lewis became just the 11th player in Eastern Illinois history to hit seven or more 3-pointers in a game on Saturday afternoon as the junior went 8-of-12 from beyond the arc to pace Eastern Illinois to a 75-60 win over SIU Edwardsville in Lantz Arena.
 
The win moved EIU to 10-12 overall, 2-7 in the OVC as they head to Tennessee State on Thursday night for a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Net.  SIUE dropped to 5-18 overall, 0-9 in the OVC.
 
Lewis made 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in the first half as the Panthers moved out to a 41-32 lead over the Cougars.  Lewis hit two of his 3-pointers during a 14-6 run midway through the second half that opened the Panthers lead from eight points to 16 points as Muusa Dama converted a pair of free throws with 3:24 left in the half.  EIU led 36-20 at the point.    SIUE would get the lead back to single digits just before half as Burak Eslik hit a pair of free throws with ten seconds left in the half.
 
In the second half Lewis contributed in other ways as he quickly pushed the Panthers lead back to out to double figures on two occasions assisting on baskets by Demetrius McReynolds and Ray Crossland.  Crossland's basket with 16:07 left in the game gave the Panthers a 46-35 lead.
 
Crossland pulled down a defensive rebound on the next SIUE possession, a missed jumper by Eslik.  Patrick Muldoon made a free throw and Lewis drained a 3-pointer with 14:21 remaining as SIUE never got closer than 11 points the remainder of the game.  Crossland posted his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. 
 
Lewis finished with 24 points and eight assists.  McReynolds rounded out the EIU double figure scorers with 16 points.  The last EIU player to hit seven or more 3-pointers in a game was Romain Martin with eight on Feb. 28, 2009 at Tennessee State.
 
SIUE closed the Panthers lead to 11 points with 6:22 to play on a lay-up by Christian Ellis that made it 65-54.  EIU quickly extended the lead to as high as 19 points on a Crossland jumper with 1:45 to play.  The Cougars closed out with two baskets for the final margin.
 
Jalen Henry and Keenan Simmons both finished in double figures in the low block for SIUE as they held a 26-16 points in the paint advantage.  Henry had 16 points and Simmons 12.