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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Tiger Booker tied the game at 60-60 with 1:37 left in regulation but Drew Cisse came up with his fifth block of the game in the final seconds to turn away a potential game tying shot as WIU held off a late Eastern Illinois comeback to win 63-60.
The win was the ninth straight for Western Illinois as they evened the all-time series with EIU at 84-84 as the two schools played as conference rivals for the first time since the 1995-96 season. WIU is now 12-6 overall, 5-0 in the OVC. EIU fell to 8-10 overall, 2-3 in the OVC.
EIU trailed by just one point at the half, 33-32, despite shooting only 40 percent from the field compared to 57 percent for the Leathernecks. EIU had just one turnover in the first half and finished the game with four total which helped them overcome a cold shooting night.
WIU shot 61 percent in the second half to finish the game at 59 percent. Still, the Panthers hung around forcing 19 turnovers and picking up ten steals.
Kyndall Davis had three of the ten as EIU scored 20 points off turnovers.
The Panthers trailed by nine, 58-49, with 5:15 left in the game. They held the Leathernecks to just two points over the next four and half minutes going on a 6-0 run after a pair of free throws by James Dent Jr. Davis had four points with a dunk and free throws before Booker tied the game with his free throws at the 1:37 mark.
After WIU missed on the front end of a one-and-one, EIU had a chance to take the lead but could not convert. Western Illinois broke its late game cold streak with a basket by Jesiah West with 29 seconds remaining. West had 12 points, one of three WIU players in double figures.
EIU had one more offensive possession but had a shot blocked near the basket by Cisse who added 12 rebounds to his shot block totals. WIU hit one of two free throws and time expired on the rebound to give WIU the win.
Nakyel Shelton led EIU with 16 points. Booker scored 13 and Davis added 12.
Ryan Myers led WIU with 14 points. Quinlan Bennett scored 12.