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MURRAY, Ky. – Eastern Illinois won for just the third time in program history in Murray, Kentucky, on Saturday night as EIU beat Murray State, 82-65, at the CFSB Center.
EIU improved to 14-14 on the year, 6-9 in the OVC. The Panthers will wrap up the 2017 season next Saturday night at SIU Edwardsville. Murray State fell to 14-14 overall, 8-6 in the OVC.
For the second straight game Eastern Illinois was hot from 3-point range. On Thursday night at Austin Peay the Panthers tied the school record with 17 made 3-pointers. On Saturday night at Murray State the Panthers went 15-of-30 from beyond the arc to tie for the third highest single game total in school history.
EIU built a ten point lead late in the first half as they had 3-pointers by
Montell Goodwin,
Casey Teson and
Demetrius McReynolds to lead 39-29 with 3:48 to play. EIU would lead 45-31 at the half as six different Panthers had 3-pointers in the game.Â
Aboubacar Diallo came off the bench and provided four big points and several rebounds in the first half. He finished with nine points going 5-of-7 from the foul line.
EIU was able to keep the lead at double figures most of the second half. Jonathan Stark had a jumper at the free throw line to cut the EIU lead to seven with 18 minutes to play in the second half.
A put-back by Brion Sanchious with 8:42 to play closed the EIU lead down to ten points at 61-51. McReynolds hit three straight jumpers and the Panthers were able to put the game away at the line going 11-of-15 at the foul line.
McReynolds was 7-of-11 from 3-point range to finish with 25 points. Goodwin had 12 points and
Terrell Lewis added 11.
Stark had 18 points for Murray State with Terrell Miller leading the Racers with 19 points, 12 rebounds. Bryce Jones added 11.Â