PDF Box Score
MACOMB, Ill. - Eastern Illinois held Western Illinois scoreless for just over a 10-minute span in the second half as the Panthers used a 19-0 run to rally for a 74-67 win over Western Illinois on Saturday night.
EIU improved to 5-5 on the season winning their second straight and sweeping the season series over WIU. Western Illinois fell to 4-6.
At the 16-minute media timeout, Eastern Illinois trailed 49-33 after Western Illinois extended a nine point halftime lead as they knocked down 3-of-4 3-pointers to open the half.
EIU would then clamp down on defense as they began with a 9-0 run with
Ben Harvey scoring five points in the first part of the run. EIU would finish with a 19-0 run with Harvey scoring eight of his 12 points during the run. Harvey's basket with 7:40 to play tied the game at 49-49.
Shareef Smith drained a 3-pointer with 6:56 remaining to give EIU a 52-49 lead as EIU was 5-of-9 from 3-point range in the second half. Smith has nine points, five rebounds and five assists.
On the defensive end of the floor EIU held WIU scoreless for 10:01 during the 19-0 run. After a basket WIU tied the game at 52-52, EIU would again hold WIU scoreless for a four-minute stretch as they built a late double figure lead.
Josiah Wallace had a team-high 18 points hitting four-of-four from the free throw line in the final 20 seconds.
Mack Smith finished with 14 points.
Western Illinois hit five of its final six shots of the first half from 3-point range with Kobe Webster dropping in three of those as WIU led 38-29 at the half. WIU was 9-fo-14 from 3-point range in the first half and 13-of-27 from behind the arc for the game.
EIU opened the game hot as
Mack Smith scored the Panthers first eight points. EIU would hold the lead for most of the first half with
Kashawn Charles scoring seven points off the bench giving EIU a spurt that resulted in a 17-10 lead following Charles lay-up at 11:59.
The Panthers would cool off going 3-of-14 from 3-point range including one of their final ten 3-pointers in the opening half. EIU would have a 2:30 scoring slump late in the half as WIU took the lead with an 11-2 run. Webster's first 3-pointer put WIU up 28-25 with 3:32 to play in the first.
Webster had 17 points to lead WIU. Pyle had 16 points.