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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Tennessee Tech opened Saturday afternoon's game going 6-of-7 from 3-point range as the Golden Eagles ended the night 11-of-20 from beyond the arc during a 87-68 win over Eastern Illinois in Lantz Arena.
 
TTU improved to 10-16 overall, 6-5 in the OVC.  EIU fell to 11-13 overall, 3-8 in the OVC.
 
Aleksa Jugovic and Kajon Mack both opened the first half 2-of-2 from 3-point range as both players reached double figures in the first half giving TTU a 45-30 lead.  The Golden Eagles shot 56 percent in the opening half from the floor and 7-of-10 from 3-point range.
 
EIU attempted to keep pace as Montell Goodwin scored nine points off the bench in the first half.   The Panthers were hurt by two early fouls to Muusa Dama which limited him to just four minutes in the first half.  TTU took advantage of the size missing in the paint to hold an 18-11 first half rebound advantage.  They would finish the game with a 37-26 margin with Mason Ramsey doing most of the work to post a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
 
A jumper by Jugovic with 16:32 to play in the game pushed Tennessee Tech's lead out to 17 points.  EIU was able to trim that lead down to ten points on two occasions.  The first on free throws by Patrick Muldoon with 12:38 to play that was part of a 6-1 run by the Panthers.  The second time EIU closed to within ten points was with 10:05 left as Terrell Lewis sank a 3-pointer from the wing to make it 60-50.
 
Curtis Phillips and Jugovic answered with baskets and EIU was never able to sustain a run to get back in the game.  Jugovic led all players with 24 points while Phillips had 15.  Mack finished with 17 points.
 
Goodwin led the Panthers with 16 points as four EIU players reached double figures.  Ray Crossland had 15 points, Lewis had 12 and Demetrius McReynolds finished with ten.
 
TTU shot 55 percent for the game.  EIU finished shooting 44 percent from the floor.