Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

Eastern Illinois men's basketball was able to hang on for a 74-70 win over Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon winning their fourth straight at Groniger Arena.
 
The Panthers opened the game red hot from the field building a 26-6 lead with 12:33 left in the opening half following a 3-pointer by Preston Smith.   Smith was one of four Panthers in double figures scoring 14 points off the bench.
 
EIU kept TSU at an arm's length the remainder of the first half leading 42-33 at the break after shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 6-of-10 from 3-point range.  Smith knocked down three of those first half 3-pointers while Andre Washington knocked down two.  Washington finished with 12 points.
 
Tennessee State made several second half runs at the Panthers cutting the lead to two points with 11:14 to play on a dunk by Carlous Williams, part of his 11 point night.
 
The Tigers tied the game for the first time with a Jalen Pitre basket at 5:18 and then for the final time with a pair Williams free throws with 3:30 to play knotting the score at 66-66.
 
Nazareth Fisher answered for EIU with the first of two big baskets in the post giving EIU the lead for good with 3:01 to play.   The Panthers never trailed in the contest improving to 6-10 overall, 3-3 in the OVC.
 
TSU would cut the lead down to one point over the final three minutes one time, but EIU had an answer each time.  TSU fell to 10-6 overall, 4-2 in the OVC.  Kahlil London had 23 points to lead TSU with Travis Harper II scoring 18 but limited to just 1-of-4 on 3-pointers.
 
Kooper Jacobi had 14 points and pulled down five rebounds reaching the 500 rebound mark for his EIU career.  Zion Fruster led all EIU players with 19 points.