Box Score |
Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois was driving to get back into a game they trailed by 17 points at one time with Yaakema Rose Jr, driving the comeback effort on Saturday afternoon. With 5:04 left in the game, Rose drove to the basket and converted a lay-up for his 15th point of the game bringing the Panthers to within three. On the play Rose suffered an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the game.
Southeast Missouri seized the momentum from that point on to capture a 79-68 win improving to 12-11 overall, 7-3 in the OVC. EIU fell to 7-16 overall, 3-7 in the OVC.
Rose finished with a team-high 15 points with eight assists and six steals. Two of his steals came at the midway point of the second half as he finished off one with a lay-up of his own and another with an assist for a
Caleb Donaldson dunk. A lay-up by
Kyle Thomas with 12:20 left in the game tied the game at 50-50.
SEMO countered on the next possession with a 3-pointer by Adam Larson, one of three he would sink on the day to finish with 11 points. The Panthers cut the lead down to one on the next trip down the floor on free throws by Rose but could never tie or gain the lead in the final 12 minutes of action.
SEMO was 8-of-24 from 3-point range in the game including 4-of-9 in the second half. Phillip Russell hit three 3-pointers to lead the Redhawks with 19 points. Israel Barnes (11 points) and Josh Earley (10 points) also scored in double figures for SEMO as the Redhawks held a 39-29 halftime lead.
Donaldson scored 11 points for the Panthers while
Nick Ellington was solid off the bench with 13 points and seven rebounds. Ellington was 9-of-12 at the foul line as the Panthers converted 16-of-23 at the stripe, all in the second half.