Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Eastern Illinois shot 67 percent in the second half and 57 percent for the game as the Panthers snapped a 13-game OVC road losing streak with an 84-73 win at SIUE on Saturday afternoon at First Community Arena.
Nick Ellington scored 15 of his career-high 21 points in the first half to help the Panthers hold a 35-31 lead. EIU jumped out to the early lead with a 12-2 run putting EIU up 17-9.Â
Cameron Haffner drained a 3-pointer and
Kinyon Hodges had a dunk during the run.
In the second half EIU continued to hit big shots as they stretched the lead to double figures at 61-50 on a
Caleb Donaldson lay-up with ten minutes left in the game. Hodges pushed the Panther lead to 13 points at 65-52 as he finished the night with 17 points and eight rebounds.
SIUE would cut the lead back to single digits four times in the final ten minutes with the Panthers able to keep it at a three-possession game down the stretch.
The Cougars cut the margin to seven with 2:14 left on a Damarco Minor lay-up making it 75-68. Donaldson answered for EIU on that possession. Shamar Wright made it a seven-point game once again for the Cougars with free throws with 1:42 remaining.
Donaldson delivered at the end with a 3-pointer as he finished with 11 points and six assists. EIU finished the night 7-of-13 from 3-point range.
Minor led the Cougars with 19 points. Wright had 17.
EIU improved to 9-18, 5-9 in the OVC. SIUE fell to 17-10 overall, 8-6 in the OVC.