EIU Loses In CIT Basketball Tournament

Print

Published on March 24 2015 6:47 am
Last Updated on March 24 2015 6:47 am
Written by Millie Lange

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois had its 2015 season come to a close on Monday night as the Panthers lost at home in the second round the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) to Evansville, 83-68.

EIU ends the season at 18-15 overall.  Evansville improved to 21-12 and will play at Louisiana Lafayette in the next round of the CIT.

The Panthers would take what proved to be their only lead of the game on its first offensive possession as Dylan Chatman drained a 3-pointer with 18:56 to play in the first half.  Chatman would provide a large part of the Panthers offense on the night hitting 6-of-10 from 3-point range to finish his final collegiate game with 18 points.

Adam Wing answered with a jumper and D.J. Balentine hit a jumper in the lane to give Evansville a quick lead.  Cornell Johnston hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 13:47 to play.  Egidijiu Mockevicius scored five straight points in one of several short runs by the Purple Aces in the first half.  Mockevicius was a force all night finishing with 21 points and 16 rebounds as Evansville won the battle on the glass by a 42-28 margin.

Josh Piper closed the gap to three points and Reggie Smith was fouled driving to the lane in an attempt to bring EIU to within one point.  Smith would be injured on the play and the Panthers missed both free throws.  Evansville pushed the lead to ten points with a Blake Simmons 3-pointer with 8:36 to play as Evansville led 21-11.

EIU would get as close as four points in the first half as Chatman hit three 3-pointers in the final 7:34 of the half.  Evansville closed the half on a 3-pointer by Balentine to lead 37-27.  Balentine finished with 22 points.