Tweet #EIUBleedBlue

PDF Box 

MOBILE, Ala. - Without the services of senior point guard Terrell Lewis on Saturday afternoon, Eastern Illinois was held to just four assists while committing 19 turnovers during a 63-52 loss to South Alabama at the Mitchell Center.

EIU fell to 2-7 on the season and will return home to host Western Illinois at 7:30 pm on Tuesday night at Lantz Arena.   South Alabama improved to 6-5.

Ray Crossland gave EIU its only lead of the game with a 3-pointer to open the game as Crossland lead EIU with 17 points.

South Alabama answered with a 3-pointer of its own by Trhae Mitchell as the Jaguars finished the day shooting 10-of-23 from 3-point range.   USA would hold a two to four point lead for most of the first half as the Panthers were able to limit their turnovers and hold their own on the boards.

In the final four minutes of the first half Muusa Dama and Crossland both picked up their second fouls of the first half.  Rodrick Sikes and Nick Davis hit 3-pointers in a 26 second span while EIU turned the ball over three straight times against full court pressure.  Montell Goodwin would hit a running jumper as time expired to cut the Jaguars lead to 29-23 at the half.

South Alabama then forced five EIU turnovers in the first three minutes of the second half as they quickly pushed the lead to 36-25 with 17:54 to play on a lay-up by Mitchell.  USA would lead by 17 points on free throws by Sikes with 14:02 to play.  Sikes was one of four Jaguars in double figures with 13 points.

Jordan Andrews 3-pointer with 8:32 to play would give South Alabama its biggest lead of the game at 55-36.  Andrews finished with 10 points.

Goodwin hit a jumper with 23 seconds left as EIU was able to get the lead back to single digits at 59-50.  Goodwin had 11 points.  EIU finished the night shooting 32 percent from the floor.

On the glass Dama pulled down 17 rebounds and just missed a double-double with nine points.  EIU finished with a 45-34 rebound advantage with 16 offensive rebounds.

Herb McGee had 15 points to lead South Alabama.  Josh Ajayi had 11 points and 8 rebounds.  Mitchell just missed a double-double for the Jaguars with nine points, nine rebounds.   USA finished the game with 25 points off turnovers.