PDF Box Score | Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)
Eastern Illinois battled Butler on Tuesday evening with the score tied with just over five minutes remaining in the opening half. Butler closed the half on a 5-0 run, eventually winning 73-58.
The Bulldogs extended their 36-27 halftime lead to double figures with an 8-0 run to open the half. Patrick McCaffery drained a pair of 3-pointers in the run as he finished with 20 points, one of two Butler players with 20-points.
EIU (2-6) hung around and cut the lead to ten with a four-point play by
Nakyel Shelton with 9:50 left in the game. EIU would eventually make it a 10-1 run trimming the lead to seven at 55-48 with 7:31 to play in the game.
Butler responded with a 7-0 run to keep EIU at a distance for the remainder of the contest.
Kooper Jacobi matched his career high with 22 points with one of his five 3-pointers in the game bringing the Panthers to within three points before
Zion Fruster tied it at 22-22 with 5:22 to play in the first half with a 3-pointer.
EIU scored only one more field goal the remainder of the half with a dunk by Jacobi with 1:25 to play.
Shelton joined Jacobi in double figures with 12 points. Fruster had eight and
Blake Goodman scored seven off the bench.
Butler (7-1) had 20 points from Jahmyl Telfort with ten coming in the first half. Butler was 7-of-20 from 3-point range after entering the game ranked sixth in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage.