EIU Men Win, SIU Drops Contest, EIU Women Lose

CHARLESTON -- Double-doubles by freshman Mack Smith and senior Muusa Dama carried Eastern Illinois to an 80-60 Ohio Valley Conference win over UT Martin on Thursday night in Lantz Arena.

EIU improved to 7-11 overall, 3-4 in the OVC.  UTM fell to 6-14 overall, 1-6 in the OVC.  EIU returns to action on Saturday hosting Southeast Missouri at 3:15 p.m.   It will be Take-A-Kid-To-Game Day where an adult ticket purchase gets you two free children’s tickets.  EIU ticket holders that already have a ticket to the game can show that ticket and get two free children’s tickets as well.

Mack Smith flirted with his double-double in the first half on both ends of the floor scoring eight points while pulling down seven rebounds.  He would finish the game with a career high 22 points and 11 rebounds.   Dama finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Panthers won the battle on the glass by a 43-39 margin.

EIU lead 10-9 with 12:43 to play in the first half after Delfincko Bogan hit a driving lay-up for the Skyhawks.  The Panthers went on a 13-2 run over the next six minutes capped by back-to-back baskets by Ray Crossland.  His second basket put the Panthers in front 23-11 with 6:34 to play in the first.

EIU would hold the halftime lead at 33-21 after Crossland again hit a jumper to score all eight of his points in the first half.

The Panthers would connect for 48 percent from the field in the second half as they finished the game shooting 41.8 percent, marking the first time in seven OVC games this season that EIU has shot over 40 percent from the floor.

Jajuan Starks scored the first wo EIU baskets of the second half and Logan Koch drained a 3-pointer with 13:43 to play putting the Panthers up 50-30.   Montell Goodwin followed with a 3-pointer on the next Panthers possession as he scored 18 points, his 11th straight double figure scoring game this season.

UT Martin trimmed into the lead with a 7-0 run as Matthew Butler hit a 3-pointer with 8:14 to play making it 60-46.  Smith stopped the Skyhawks run with a 3-pointer at 7:51 before Parker Hewitt had back-to-back lay-ups for UTM to make it 63-50 with 6:53 to play.  Hewitt had a team high 16 points for UTM.

Goodwin countered with a  3-pointer for EIU and Dama helped the Panthers make a defensive stand on the other end of the floor with a blocked shot, one of five for EIU on the night.  Goodwin was fouled and converted both free throws as the Panthers held the Skyhawks at a distance for the final five minutes.

Starks was the fourth EIU player in double figures finishing with 14 points.

Butler had 11 points for UTM with Dominique Williams scoring ten off the bench.  Terrence Parker pulled down 13 rebounds.

Southeast Missouri 86, SIUE 74

David McFarland scored a season-best 22 points for the SIUE Cougars on Thursday, but Southeast Missouri overcame his fireworks to post an 86-74 win at the Vadalabene Center.

The Redhawks rode the sizzling scoring touch of sophomore Denzel Mahoney to their Ohio Valley Conference victory. Mahoney celebrated his 20th birthday in style by scoring a career-high 36 points. SIUE fell to 7-11 overall and 3-4 in the OVC. SEMO improved to 9-11 and 3-4.

"They have a good team and Mahoney is a very talented player," SIUE Head Coach Jon Harris said. "We have to do a better job on him."

The 6-foot, 4-inch Mahoney made 9 of 14 shots, including 5 of 7 shots from 3-point range. He also converted 13 of 15 free throws and grabbed seven rebounds. McFarland, a 6-4 junior, poured in all of his points in the second half to keep the Cougars within striking distance of the Redhawks.

McFarland made 7 of 18 shots and hit 5 of 14 from 3-point range. He also sank three of four free throws and snagged nine rebounds.

 
UT Martin 72, EIU Women 44

The visiting UT Martin Skyhawks defeated Eastern Illinois women's basketball 72-44 Thursday night. The Panthers fall to 2-16 overall, 1-6 OVC while UTM improves to 8-11 overall, 4-3 OVC.

Halle Stull connected from beyond the arc late in the first quarter to spark an 8-0 run from the Panthers. EIU was able to tie the game up 12-12 heading into the second quarter of play.

UTM opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run holding EIU scoreless the first five minutes of play. Taylor Steele and Karle Pace knocked down shots from three-point range to shoot them back into the game. Steele scored on a layup with 1:01 left in the half to give the Panthers their only lead of the game.

UTM entered the second half with a one point lead and pulled away to secure their fourth conference win. They held the Panthers to 15 second half points and scoreless for the final 6:40 of the game.

Steele was the only Panther to score double-figures. She scored a game-leading 19 points and tallied six boards and three steals. Jennifer Nehls recorded eight rebounds while Karle Pace dished out a career-high five assists.

The Skyhawks had three players record 10+ points. Chelsey Perry recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Ashton Feldhaus added 13 points and four rebounds.

Despite being held scoreless in the first half, Kendall Spray neared a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Panthers will return to action Jan. 25 at Belmont. Tip-off is set 5 pm.