WIU Nabs Fourth Straight To Beat EIU

CHARLESTON, Ill. – A strong surge by Western Illinois midway through the second half carried the Leathernecks to a 4-0 start to the season with an 83-63 win over Eastern Illinois on Saturday night at Lantz Arena.
 
The game was the home opener for EIU as the Panthers fell to 0-3 on the season.  EIU hosts Green Bay next Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
EIU led 37-33 at the half with a strong 3-point shooting performance.  The Panthers knocked down 5-of-9 from beyond the arc with Cornell Johnston and Casey Teson each draining a pair.  J.C. Fuller was able to keep WIU within striking distance in the first half with 11 points going 6-of-6 at the free throw line.  Four of his free throws came on the result of a foul and technical foul called on the same play that gave WIU four straight trips to the line.  WIU was 8-of-10 from the stripe in the first half.
 
The trips to the line continued in the second half as WIU quickly was able to force EIU senior Trae Anderson into picking up his third and fourth fouls.  Anderson left the game within the first minute of action with EIU trialing 38-37.  WIU was 10-of-13 from the free throw line in the second half and 18-of-23 for the game.
 
Garrett Covington began to warm up for the Leathernecks at the 15:58 mark knocking down a 3-pointer that pushed WIU’s lead to five points.  Teson answered with a 3-pointer to pull EIU back within two points.  Covington then capped a 10-2 run at the 13:02 mark with a 3-pointer that gave WIU its first double digit lead of the game.  Covington finished with 26 points, one of two WIU players with more than 20 points.  Fuller led all scorers with 29.
 
EIU cut the margin in half with a 3-pointer by Johnston and put back basket by Marshawn Blackmon.  Fuller drained a 3-pointer followed by four straight Covington free throws to extend WIU’s lead back to double figures and the Leathernecks slowly pulled away over the final 10:02.
 
WIU shot 68 percent in the second half and 55 percent for the game.  They were 9-of-16 from 3-point range.
 
Teson led EIU with 12 points going 4-of-8 on 3-pointers.  EIU shot 43 percent from 3-point range.  Johnston added 11.