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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois held Saint Francis (Ill.) to just 15 percent shooting and 13 points in the second half as the Panthers rolled to a 74-38 win on Thursday afternoon to close out the non-conference portion of their schedule.
 
EIU won its second straight and improved to 4-7 overall as the Panthers open Ohio Valley Conference play next Thursday night at Murray State.  Saint Francis is 5-8.
 
The Panthers connected on 56 percent from the floor led by a 7-for-7 night by senior Muusa Dama as he posted his ninth career double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds.  Dama added two blocks in the game as part of an eight block night for EIU.  The senior moved into fifth on the EIU career blocks chart.
 
Montell Goodwin was 5-of-8 from 3-point range for the Panthers and finished with a team high 15 points.  EIU opened the first half shooting 52 percent from the floor as they slowly built a 36-25 halftime lead.
 
In the second half EIU turned up the defensive pressure while shooting 60 percent on the offensive end of the floor.  EIU forced 16 Saint Francis turnovers resulting in 19 points.  Goodwin added three steals as EIU posted ten steals as a team.
 
Michael Chavers and Jajuan Starks both added nine points.  Goodwin had a team high five assists as EIU finished with 21.
 
Saint Francis had two players score in double figures lead by Antonio Hughes with 11 points.  Iain Morison had ten.