EIU Men's Basketball Season Ends With Loss

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Published on March 3 2016 7:57 am
Last Updated on March 3 2016 7:57 am
Written by Millie Lange

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois was cold from the field to open both halves on Wednesday night as the Panthers season ended with a 78-62 loss to Murray State in the opening round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Nashville.

EIU ends the year at 13-17.  Murray State improved to 17-13 and will play Morehead State in the second round of the OVC Tournament on Thursday.

Murray State opened the half shooting a blistering 75 percent from the field hitting 15 of their first 20 shots from the floor.  MSU extended its lead to 20 points at the 7:53 mark with a jumper by Terron Gilmore.

The Racers cooled off over the final seven minutes taking a 45-29 lead to the locker room and shooting 61 percent for the half.
After opening the game slowly, EIU finished the half shooting 38 percent.  EIU’s first basket of the game was with 14:26 to play on a basket by A.J. Riley.  Riley had all 11 of his points in the first half.

Wayne Langston staked the Racers to an early lead scoring 12 first half points as Murray State opened the game on a 12-2 run.  EIU cut the lead to 13 points with 1:21 to play in the first half on a lay-up by Riley.  Murray State closed the half with a free throw by Bryce Jones and jumper by Justin Seymour.

The Panthers were cold to open the second half but were able to chip away at the lead at times with 3-pointers by Demetrius McReynolds and Cornell Johnston.  EIU was 7-of-17 from 3-point range in the second half.  McReynolds was 4-of-6 in the game from 3-point range finishing with 14 points.  Johnston was 4-of-9 from 3-point range adding 12 points.

Murray State kept the lead at double digits the entire second half building the lead to 20 points on a Langston bucket with 7:28 to play.  Langston ended the game with 22 points going 10-of-14 from the floor.

The Racers ended the game shooting 61 percent going 30-for-49 in the game.  Seymour had 16 points, Jones 14 and Damarcus Croaker 10 for the Racers.

Patrick Muldoon rounded out the double figure scorers for EIU with 10 points.