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Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Michael Moreno hit a 3-pointer for Eastern Kentucky with 2.3 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime on Saturday afternoon at First Mid Court at Lantz Arena. 

In the overtime session Eastern Kentucky outscored Eastern Illinois, 19-11, as the Colonels beat Eastern Illinois, 93-85.   EIU fell to 5-8 overall, 2-4 in the OVC as the Panthers had an opposing team sink a 3-pointer near the end of regulation to decide the game for the second straight Saturday.  Last week Terry Taylor hit a 3-pointer as time expired to carry Austin Peay to a 74-71 win over EIU.  EKU, ranked No. 18 in the CollegeInsider Mid-Major Top 25, improved to 12-2 overall, 6-1 in the OVC. 

In a close game that EKU led 41-38 at the half, the two teams had 13 ties and 11 lead changes with most of those coming in the second half. 

Henry Abraham would tie the game for EIU with a 3-pointer making it 66-66 with 3:36 remaining. Cooper Robb would put EKU back in front with a 3-poitner on the next possession before Sammy Friday IV had a pair of big plays for the Panthers. 

Friday scored on a nice post move with 2:58 remaining and forced a steal on the next possession leading to a dunk by Marvin Johnson that gave EIU a one-point lead with 1:49 to play. 

A Friday bucket with 1:49 to play pushed the Panthers lead to three at 72-69.  The graduate transfer was one of four EIU players in double figures finishing with 18 points.  

Tre King's dunk with 37 seconds remaining brought EKU back within one with the Panthers responding with 13 seconds left in the contest with a dunk by Barlow Alleruzzo IV.   That EIU basket set the stage for Moreno's heroics. King would led EKU with 24 points before fouling out in overtime.  Moreno scored ten as five EKU players scored in double figures.   

In the overtime session EKU used an 8-0 run to open up an 88-83 lead with 1:57 left to play.  The Panthers had gone up three on three free throws by Johnson.  In the run Wendell Green Jr., and Curt Lewis both knocked down 3-pointers for the Colonels. Lewis finished with 18 points, Green with 17.   

EIU would cut the lead to two points on a Friday basket but could get no closer in the overtime session. Johnson led EIU with 20 points while George Dixon and Kashawn Charles both finished with ten. 

The Panthers finished the night 6-of-28 from 3-point range for 21.4 percent while EKU connected on 12-of-23 for 52.2 percent from long range.