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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
Eastern Illinois men's basketball continues its solid play to end the season as the Panthers won their third straight with a 71-60 win over Little Rock on Thursday night at Groniger Arena.
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EIU's defense helped set the tone for the Panthers finishing with 12 steals in the game as they set the school single season record for steals midway through the second half on a steal by
Artese Stapleton. Stapleton and
Nakyel Shelton each led the way with four steals with EIU's defense limiting Little Rock to 38.5 percent shooting for the night.
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The Panthers led 36-27 at the half jumping out early to a 12-3 lead on a jumper by
Kooper Jacobi at the 12:26 mark of the opening half. Stapleton would give the Panthers their first double digit lead with a driving lay-up with 7:15 to play in the opening half as he was one of two Panthers over 20 points finishing with 23.
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A put-back basket by Jacobi pushed the margin to 15 but Little Rock trimmed it down to as low as six points in the first half on a lay-up by Tuongthach Gatkek.
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In the second half EIU was able to keep the margin around ten points most of the half with Little Rock getting as close as six points with 9:23 to play on a three-point play by Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson led the Trojans with 15 points, one of four Little Rock players in double figures.  EIU countered with a 4-0 run on baskets by Stapleton and
Obadiah Curtis with the Trojans not threatening again.
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Shelton led EIU with 25 points. Jacobi added 12 points with nine rebounds while Curtis added nine points in his first start this season.
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Mwani Wilkinson (13), Johnathan Lawson (12) and Ante Beljan (10) joined Jefferson in double figures for Little Rock.
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EIU improved to 11-19 overall, 7-12 in the OVC. Little Rock falls to 18-12 overall, 12-7 in the OVC. Little Rock plays at SIUE on Saturday with the winner earning the No. 2 seed and double bye in next week's OVC Tournament.
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