MONDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 66, @Western Illinois 61
@Eastern Illinois 110, East-West University 56
@Little Rock 98, Williams Baptist 84
SIUE 66, WESTERN ILLINOIS 61
MACOMB, Ill. - SIUE men's basketball erased a 14-point deficit late to roar back for a 66-61 win Monday at Western Illinois for their first Ohio Valley Conference win of the year.
The Cougars trailed at half and fell behind 51-37 with 8:44 to play, before surging back. Propelled by a 16-19 performance at the free throw line in the second half, SIUE finished the game on a 29-10 run.
SIUE improved to 8-5 overall and 1-1 in the OVC. Western Illinois fell to 4-8 overall and 0-2 in the OVC. SIUE has now won three straight in the series with the Leathernecks.
The Cougars opened the game on a 9-2 run, but Western Illinois responded with a 15-3 run from there to take a 17-12 lead. The teams traded leads three more times before a Jordan Pickett running layup made it 18-17 SIUE with 6:10 to play before half.
A Jo Valrie three-pointer made it 22-21 SIUE before another Leathernecks run. A quick 7-0 burst gave WIU its largest lead of the half at 28-22 after an Antwaun Massey three-pointer with 45 seconds left. A CJ Hall jumper cut the lead to 28-24 at halftime.
Jack Campion drained a deep straight-away three-pointer with 2:00 to play to tie the score at 60 and SIUE never trailed again. Two free throws by Valrie put SIUE up 62-60. Two more from Malith to make it 64-60 with 1:16 left.
Malith led all scorers with 24 points. It was the fifth 20-point game of his season. He led the Cougars with six rebounds and finished the game 7-7 at the free throw line.
Valrie and Campion each scored nine. Campion added five assists.
Lucas Lorenzen led Western Illinois with 19 points, all of which came after halftime.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 110, EAST-WEST UNIVERSITY 56
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois hit eight of its first nine shots to open the second half as the Panthers shot 61.1 percent in the second half and 58.3 percent for the game rolling past East-West University, 110-56, on Monday afternoon.
It was the second straight win for the Panthers as they head into the Holiday Break at 4-8. East-West is 3-6.
Balanced scoring was in effect all game for the Panthers with all ten players in uniform cracking the scoring column. Andre Washington led all players with 24 points going 11-of-14 from the floor.
Preston Turner scored 18 off the bench while Zion Fruster rounded out EIU’s double figure scorers with 15 points.
The Panthers dominated play on the glass with a 58-26 margin including 18 offensive rebounds. Terry McMorris and Nazaeth Fisher both contributed with ten rebounds.
Devine Conley led East-West with 22 points.
LITTLE ROCK 98, WILLIAMS BAPTIST 84
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Little Rock pulled away in the second half Monday night, defeating Williams Baptist 98–84 at the Jack Stephens Center to close out nonconference play.
The Trojans (4–9) broke open a two-point halftime lead by outscoring Williams Baptist (9–4) 55–43 after the break, fueled by an aggressive transition attack and interior dominance. Little Rock finished with 20 fast-break points and 48 points in the paint.
Little Rock seized control early in the second half. Cameron Wallace ignited the run with a dunk off a Lawson assist, and despite back-to-back three-pointers from Washington, the Trojans responded with a decisive 15–0 run. The surge featured a fast-break dunk from Lawson, assisted by Braxton Bayless, pushing the lead into double figures and shifting the game firmly in Little Rock's favor.
Williams Baptist continued to battle, but Little Rock's balanced scoring and defensive pressure proved too much down the stretch, allowing the Trojans to close out the 98–84 victory.
Lawson led the Trojans with 29 points, knocking down four three-pointers and adding six assists. Wallace posted 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Nzeh recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, along with three blocks. Bayless chipped in six assists and three steals.
The opening half was tightly contested throughout. After the teams traded early baskets, Little Rock gained momentum behind a three-pointer from Nzeh and a strong inside sequence from Tuongthach Gatkek. Williams Baptist answered with timely perimeter shooting, including a three from Jesse Washington, while Deion Wesson provided consistent offense to keep the visitors within striking distance.
Lawson's late free throws helped Little Rock maintain control, sending the Trojans into the locker room with a 43–41 advantage.