E. Illinois out-muscles D III Eureka 81-51

Posted November 17, 2014 12:01 am

Associated Press

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Chris Olivier scored 13 points to lead Eastern Illinois to an 81-51 win over Division III Eureka on Monday night.

Twelve of 13 Panthers scored with Keenen Anderson adding 12 points and Cornell Johnston nine with eight assists.

Eastern Illinois (1-1) hit 50 percent of its shots (29-58) and made nine of 22 3-pointers while holding Eureka to just 25 percent shooting (15-59).

Parker Gibson led the Red Devils with 12 points and Sam James and Greg Kent added 11 each.

The smaller Red Devils led by as many as five points early before Jake Verhagen (nine points, eight rebounds) outscored Eureka 7-2 in a two-minute span, providing a 23-20 lead which the Panthers steadily increased en route to a 17-point advantage by halftime.

Olivier opened the second half with a three-point play and a jumper to make the lead 52-30 in just 1:01, salting the game away.

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