Tweet #W1NasONE

Box Score

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – For the second straight game Eastern Illinois took one of the Ohio Valley Conference co-leaders to the final seconds only to come up just short as Austin Peay held off the Panthers 68-64.

EIU fell to 11-11 overall, 4-6 in the OVC.  APSU improved to 16-7 overall, 10-0 in the OVC.

Shareef Smith gave EIU a 64-60 lead with 3:48 remaining in the game hitting a 3-pointer as he was one of four Panthers in double figures finishing with ten points.

APSU would score the final eight points of the game taking the final lead with 10.1 seconds remaining as Eli Abaev hit a jumper in the lane. 

After an EIU turnover on a drive to the lane for a potential tying bucket, EIU fouled to set up a one-and-one.  APSU missed the free throw but Terry Taylor was able to get a tip on the ball which fell in for the final four point lead with 1.3 seconds left in the game.  Taylor finished with 16 points and nine rebounds. 

EIU led 38-31 at the half shooting 61.5 percent from the field.  In the first half Mack Smith became the 40th player in school history to pass the 1,000 point mark as he finished with 13 points.  Smith also extended his consecutive games streak with a made 3-pointer to 71 games.

The Panthers held the lead until Antwaun Butler converted a three-point play with 9:04 left in the game that put APSU up 56-55.   Butler had 12 points for the Governors. 
JaQualis Matlock and Marvin Johnson rounded out the double figure scorers for EIU with ten each.  EIU finished the game shooting 53 percent from the floor but only 38 percent from the foul line.  George Dixon pulled down 12 rebounds.