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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois has five players score in double figures on Friday night as the Panthers beat Illinois in front of a sold out crowd at Lantz Arena, 80-67, in an exhibition game added to benefit Hurricane Relief and the American Red Cross.
 
EIU will return to action on Monday night hosting Southern Indiana in its second exhibition game before opening the season on Nov. 11 at Nebraska.
 
Trailing 42-38 at the half, EIU went on an 8-3 run to open the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers by Montell Goodwin and Terrell Lewis.  It was Goodwin's 3-pointer with 17:41 to play in that gave the Panthers a 46-45 lead.  Goodwin had a team high 14 points going 3-of-4 from 3-point range. 
 
EIU would hold the lead the remainder of the game as they slowly built the advantage to seven points on a Mack Smith lay-up with 13:50 to go.  Part of the increased play was on the defensive end of the floor as the Panthers forced 15 second half Illinois turnovers which they converted into 14 second half points. 
 
Illinois closed the gap back to two points with a Mark Smith jumper with 9:15 to play.  The Panthers then went on an 11-2 run to put the game away.  The final shot in the run was a 3-pointer by D'Angelo Jackson as EIU was 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in the second half and 9-of-17 for the game.
 
EIU would lead by as many as 15 points on a lay-up by Justice Green in the final minute. 
 
Muusa Dama had 14 points and two blocked shots.  Jujuan Starks had 13 points and a pair of blocks.  Lewis added 13 points and Ray Crossland finished with 12.
 
Illinois had four players in double figures led by Kipper Nichols with 16 points.  Mark Smith had 15.