Tweet #W1NasONE

Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois trailed by 27 points with 11:45 remaining in the game on Thursday night before storming back to pick up a dramatic 63-60 win over Murray State.
 
Josiah Wallace sank what proved to be the game winning shot with 2 seconds left in the game as the Panthers outscored the Racers 40-10 over the final 11:30 of the game.
 
EIU improved to 13-14 overall, 6-9 in the OVC.  Murray State fell to 19-8 overall, 12-3 in the OVC.
 
Devin Gilmore scored on a lay-up with 11:45 to play to put the Racers up 50-23 as EIU scored only six points in the first eight and a half minutes of the second half. 
 
Kashawn Charles triggered the long run with a 3-pointer with 11:23 to play.  EIU then cut it to a 19-point lead with 6:09 left with Jordan Skipper-Brown converting a pair of free throws.
 
Wallace cut the margin to single digits with a jumper with 2:34 to play as he scored all 20 of his points during the final Panthers run.
 
After another Wallace bucket cut the margin to six, DaQuan Smith drained a 3-pointer for the Racers to push the lead back to nine with 1:56 to play.
 
Wallace then scored nine of the Panthers final 14 points with Shareef Smith adding a lay-up and Charles tying the game at 60-60 with 40 seconds left.
 
EIU shot 53 percent in the second half as four Panthers finished in double figures.  Wallace had 20 followed by George Dixon with 16 and Charles with 13.  Mack Smith had ten including a pair of 3-pointers as he extended his consecutive games streak with a made 3-pointer to 76 games.
 
Murray State was led by Tevin Brown and Jaiveon Eaves both with 13 points.  The Racers led 32-17 at the half.  Anthony Smith just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.