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Eastern Illinois cut an 11-point Tennessee Tech lead down to a one possession game in the final minutes but could not get a couple of final opportunities go down as TTU held off EIU 59-54 on Saturday afternoon.
In the first half both teams had good scoring runs with TTU opening the game with a 9-0 run to be answered by a big EIU run to tie the game at 16-16. TTU hit 7-of-10 from 3-point range in the opening half to hold a 34-24 lead at the intermission.
In the second half EIU cut into a double figure lead trailing 51-46 with 3:34 to play following a 6-0 run that had baskets by
Nakyel Shelton,
Kooper Jacobi and
Rodolfo Bolis.
EIU would get the lead to three points with 2:38 to play on a Shelton jumper as they trailed 51-48. Shelton led EIU with 12 points.
Rodney Johnson Jr had the answer for TTU with a 3-pointer from the corner to push the Golden Eagles lead back to six. Johnson had 11 points, one of four TTU players in double figures. As a team they finished 11-of-24 from 3-point range going just 4-of-14 in the second half.
Artese Stapleton had a lay-up in the final 30 seconds cutting the lead to three one final time. TTU closed the game at the line. Jaylon Johnson had 12 points as TTU improved to 13-12 overall, 8-6 in the OVC.
Kooper Jacobi had 11 points for EIU while
Sekou Kalle had eight points off the bench as the Panthers dropped to 8-17 overall, 4-10 in the OVC.