Eastern Illinois University Athletics

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Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – On a night Mack Smith tied the NCAA Division I record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer made, it was free throws that allowed Eastern Illinois to hang on for a 92-88 win over Western Illinois.

The Panthers improved to 3-4 on the season beating the Leathernecks (1-4) in the Old Railsplitter Axe rivalry game played at First Mid Court at Lantz Arena.

Mack Smith scored the first points of the game for the Panthers knocking down a 3-pointer for the 88th consecutive game as he tied former Illinois standout Cory Bradford's record that has stood since 2001.  Smith finished with 13 points, one of six EIU players in double figures, and will have a chance to set the record on Dec. 21 when EIU opens Ohio Valley Conference play at SIUE.

EIU led 45-32 at the half and opened the second half with a 9-1 run to lead by 21 points. 

That lead slowly evaporated as the WIU guard Justin Brookens had the hot hand for the Leathernecks scoring a game-high 37 points, 28 coming in the second half.

EIU would break a WIU press in the final two minutes with Jordan Skipper-Brown sending home a dunk to make it 86-79.  After a miss by WIU on the next possession, EIU would be fouled and sent to the free throw line.  

The Panthers would miss the front end of one-and-one opportunities three straight times as WIU was able to inch closer in the contest.  Three free throws by Brookens would cut the EIU lead to 86-82 with 1:12 to play.  Brookens would convert an old-fashion three-point play with 43 seconds left to cut the Panthers lead to one.

EIU would then sink six straight free throws to ice the contest as Skipper-Brown made the first pair with 34 seconds left as he finished with ten points including a block on a WIU possession with less than ten seconds remaining.  Josiah Wallace would sink the final four free throws in the final 21 seconds to finish with 22 points.  EIU was 17-of-29 on free throws for the game.

Marvin Johnson posted a double-double for EIU with 11 points and 11 rebounds while adding six assists.  Sammy Friday IV had 16 points and Kashawn Charles added 11.

Ramean Hinton had 16 points and eight rebounds for Western Illinois as the Leathernecks finished with a 46-37 advantage on the glass.

Both teams connected for 52 percent from the field in the second half with WIU hitting 7-of-12 on 3-pointers in the final 20 minutes.