Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: Sports

Junior guard T.J. Marion goes towards the basket during Saturday night's men's basketball game against Southeast Missouri in Lantz Arena. The Panthers won 70-62. (Karla Browning/The Daily Eastern News)

The Southeast Missouri men's basketball team had only seven healthy players and had lost 12 in a row before playing the Eastern men's basketball team Saturday night in Lantz Arena.

While the Panthers prevailed for a 70-62 victory, it was not the prettiest of games as Eastern trailed in the first half, but took a lead for good with 17 minutes, 55 seconds remaining in the game.

Eastern sophomore guard Tyler Laser said the team knew they had to man up.

"I wouldn't say we came out sluggish, but we had a few mental breakdowns so they had some looks," Laser said. "We just had to shake ourselves and say 'let's go.'"

Eastern junior guard T.J. Marion said he was happy the team found a way to win, but that they did not come in with the mindset that the Panthers (11-11, 8-4 Ohio Valley Conference) should have.

"I don't think we did all the things we do in practice," Marion said. "I think we practiced hard, but we didn't come out like we do in practice."

Eastern took control the rest of the game, leading by as many as 10 as the Panthers won their eighth OVC game of the season for the first time since the 2002-2003 season.

The Panthers are still in fourth place in the OVC.

Eastern trailed by two at halftime, but opened the half on a 10-2 run taking a six-point lead on free throws from Eastern freshman guard Jeremy Granger.

But Eastern's control against SEMO (3-21, 0-13) in the first half was not that evident.

Eastern trailed 10-3 after four minutes of play, but scored six straight points to get into the game at 10-9.

SEMO took control again leading by as much as 10 with 5:28 remaining in the first half after free throws from SEMO senior forward Jaycen Herring.

But a lay-up by Eastern junior forward Edin Suljic tied the game at 32 with 28 seconds remaining in the half.

In the timeout before, Eastern head coach Mike Miller said he told his players they needed to establish the inside.

Marion said he knew he had to be a player to step up and score close to the basket.

"I knew I had to," Marion said, "We were playing like them and shot 13 (3-pointers) more than they were shooting. Coach said to get it inside, and they were playing zone so I tried to find the bottom of the zone and make some baskets."

Miller said Southeast Missouri came out and established the way they wanted to play early, and Eastern did not play to its identity in the first part of the game.

"When we were (2-of-11) from (beyond the arc) — that is not our identity," Miller said. "We were fortunate that first half to get back to even."

Laser led the Panthers with 22 points, while junior guard Romain Martin added 10 points and Marion chipped in nine points.

SEMO senior guard Kenard Moore led all scorers with 24 points, while Herring and forward Jajuan Maxwell added 15 points.

Eastern's next game will be today against fifth-place Murray State at 7 p.m. tonight in Lantz Arena.


Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.

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