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Eastern Illinois used a big first half run to take a 39-34 lead at the half as the Panthers then led the entire second half as they closed the home portion of their regular season schedule on Tuesday night with a 84-79 win over SIUE at Groniger Arena.
 
SIUE used a 12-2 run early the first half to take a double digit lead of its own, leading at one point by twelve points on two different occasions. The first on a jumper by Ray'Sean Taylor with 10:19 to play in the opening half.  The second time was on a Dorion Staples offensive put-back with 9:29 to play staking the Cougars to a 27-15 lead.
 
EIU then went on a 22-1 run over the next six plus minutes to take control of the game with a 37-28 lead with 2:53 left in the first half following a Kyndall Davis 3-pointer.  Davis had 11 points, one of four Panthers in double figures.
 
Tiger Booker carried most of the load during the big run scoring 11 of his game high 33 points during the Panthers spurt.  
 
Nakyel Shelton (12 points) and Dan Luers (11 points) closed out the Panthers double figure scorers as EIU improved to 14-16 overall, 8-9 in the OVC.
 
SIUE fell to 16-14 overall, 9-8 in the OVC.  The two teams will meet again next Wednesday in the second game of the opening night of the OVC Tournament with one being seeded sixth and the other seventh following completion of conference play this week.
 
In the second half EIU pushed the advantage to double figures on a Booker lay-up with 14:56 to play in the game.  The lead would balloon as high as 16 points with 4:58 to play on a pair of Booker free throws.
 
In the second half, SIUE never got closer than six points until the final three seconds on a Lamar Wright lay-up.  He had 15 points and 12 rebounds.  Damarco Minor led the Cougars with 24 points and 11 rebounds.