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Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

Eastern Illinois shot 58 percent in the second half to extend a seven point halftime lead into a 13 point win as the Panthers closed out play in the DePaul MTE Classic on Friday afternoon with a 72-59 win over Northern Illinois at Groniger Arena.
 
EIU improved to 2-5 on the season while NIU dropped to 2-6 on the season.
 
Kooper Jacobi and Nakyel Shelton carried the Panthers offense for the second straight game as Jacobi scored 19 points with Shelton pouring in a game-high 26.
 
Jacobi also led a big rebounding day for the Panthers finishing with 16 rebounds for his second double-double this season.  EIU finished the game with a 45-29 rebounding edge leading to a 19-0 margin in second chance points.
 
The teams went back-and-forth for much of the first half with NIU building a four point lead at 18-14 with 7:14 left to play in the first following a 3-pointer by James Dent Jr.  Dent led NIU with 20 points just missing a double-double with nine rebounds.
 
EIU closed the first half with a 7-2 run to lead 31-24 at the break.  Jacobi had ten of his 19 points at the half along with eight of his 16 rebounds.
 
Shelton scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half including a big night at the free throw line where he finished 11-of-14.   Shelton's bucket with 18:06 to play in the second half gave the Panthers their first double digit lead of the game.
 
The Panthers would keep the margin near double figures for the remainder of the game.  NIU closed to within six points on a 3-pointer by Dent with 15:48 to play.
 
EIU countered with baskets by Jacobi and Lazar Grbovic and the Huskies never threatened again in the game.
 
EIU's defense held NIU to 29 percent shooting in the game with 11 of their 16 made shots from 3-point range.  Quentin Jones added 11 for NIU.
 
EIU did its damage inside with a 42-10 points in the paint margin and at the foul line going 17-of-22.  Zion Fruster was the third Panther in double figures with 11 points.