PDF Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Central Arkansas was 12-for-12 from the foul line including hitting two with four seconds remaining in regulation while Eastern Illinois has a 3-pointer from the corner come up short as time expired that allowed UCA to snap the Panthers four-game home win streak with a 73-70 win on Sunday afternoon at Groniger Arena.
 
The Panthers took the lead at 70-69 with 1:49 left in the game on a pair of free throws by Tiger Booker.  Central Arkansas answered on the other end with a put-back basket by Ubong Abasi Etim on one of his 16 rebounds on the afternoon.
 
EIU had a look on the next possession but was forced into a turnover under the basket giving the Bears the ball with nine seconds left in the game.  Not quite in the bonus, EIU had to foul a number of times with the last sending Johannes Kirsipuu to the line for a one-and-one with UCA leading 71-70.   He would sink both as part of his 13 point night.
 
The Panthers had one more look but their 3-pointer came up short at the buzzer. 
 
The game see-sawed back-and-forth most of the day with nine ties and 25 lead changes.   UCA's biggest lead was 11 in the first half with EIU's biggest lead at five early in the second half.
 
UCA led 38-37 at the break before Nakyel Shelton scored 16 of his team-high 22 points in the second half including ten during an early Panthers run.  Shelton just missed on a double-double pulling down nine rebounds.
 
Jermaine Hamlin led EIU with ten rebounds and Corey Sawyer Jr had 12 points. EIU built its five-point margin in the opening 50 seconds of the second half on a 3-pointer and old fashioned three-point play by Shelton.
 
Tucker Anderson led the Bears with 22 points knocking down 6-of-10 from 3-point range.  UCA was 13-of-29 from long range in the game.
 
EIU falls to 5-6 overall.  UCA is now 3-9.