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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Freshman Cam Burrell had a double-double off the bench as Eastern Illinois won its final non-conference game of the season, 81-70, on Sunday afternoon over North Alabama at Lantz Arena.
 
EIU improved to 7-6 and opens Ohio Valley Conference play on Thursday night hosting UT Martin.  UNA fell to 3-12 on the season. 
 
The two teams played a balanced first half with six ties and eight lead changes before EIU went to the locker room with a 38-35 lead on a Shareef Smith 3-pointer.  Smith scored in double figures for the third straight game finishing with 20 points and six assists.
 
EIU shot 50 percent from the field in the first half while going 1-of-2 from the free throw line.  In the second half the Panthers were able to live at the line going 23-of-30 including scoring their final seven points from the charity stripe.
 
Mack Smith was 9-of-10 at the free throw line finishing with a game high 21 points.  Smith was 4-of-6 on 3-pointers including one at the 8:40 mark that put EIU up 58-48.
 
Both teams traded baskets after the Smith 3-pointer before a dunk by Burrell pushed the lead back to ten with 6:47 left to play.  Burrell had 11 points and ten rebounds.
 
The Lions would trim the lead to seven points with just over four minutes remaining on a three point play by Tavon King.   EIU would push the lead to 14  points with 1:56 to play before back-to-back 3-pointers by Jamari Blackmon and Kendarius Smith.  UNA finished 10-of-30 from 3-point range in the game.
 
EIU closed out the win at the foul line making seven of their final eight attempts.  Ben Harvey was the fourth EIU player in double figures finishing with 13 points.
 
Blackmon was the Lions top scorer with 19 points.  Christian Agnew added 16.