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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Mack Smith set the Eastern Illinois freshman single game scoring record with 31 points and walk-on guard Shawn Wilson provided key minutes as the Panthers picked up a 79-71 win over Tennessee Tech on Saturday afternoon.
 
EIU improved to 8-15 overall, 4-8 in the OVC.  The Panthers play at SIUE on Thursday night.  TTU fell to 16-9 overall, 8-4 in the OVC.
 
Shaq Calhoun was explosive for Tennessee Tech in the first half as the Golden Eagles built an early six point lead.  The South Alabama transfer had 17 points in the first half as TTU took a 32-29 lead into the locker room.  EIU's defense would hold Calhoun in check in the second half as he finished with 23 points and did not score again until 1:36 remained in the game.
 
After TTU pushed the second half lead to five points on free throws by Courtney Alexander, EIU answered with an 8-0 run as Montell Goodwin and Ray Crossland hit 3-pointers followed by a Smith jumper in the lane.   Another 3-pointer by Goodwin gave EIU a four-point lead with 13:56 to play at 42-38.  Goodwin finished with 23 points going 4-of-5 from 3-point range as the senior moved into 10th place on the EIU career 3-pointers made list.
 
Kajon Mack trimmed EIU's lead back to one point with 12:39 to play only to see EIU go on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to give the Panthers a comfortable margin.  Smith scored the first ten points of the run as he knocked down 12-of-17 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range.  Smith broke the previous EIU freshman game scoring record of 28 points set by Joey Miller during the 2012 season.   Wilson capped the run with a drive to the basket as he had five points and six assists in 27 minutes of action.
 
TTU continued to battle into the final minute with a 3-pointer by Mack cutting EIU's lead to four points with 31 seconds remaining.    Each time TTU scored in the final 30 seconds, Goodwin was fouled on the inbounds for EIU and sank all six free throw attempts.  EIU was 14-of-20 from the stripe for the day.
 
Aboubacar Diallo led EIU with 11 rebounds as the Panthers won the battle on the glass by a 37-29 margin. 
 
Mack had 13 points for TTU as he was one of four Golden Eagles in double figures.  Alexander and Mason Ramsey each added ten.