You know it’s a good half when Bam Willhite makes a 3-pointer.

Everything worked offensively for Eastern in the first half of Monday night’s men’s basketball exhibition game against Illinois College.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Willhite, known more for his driving ability than his shooting prowess, sank a 3-pointer from the left wing with seven seconds left in the first half which gave the Panthers into halftime with a 59-36 lead.

Illinois College never posed a substantial challenge in the second half and Eastern cruised to a 92-61 win at Lantz Arena.

The Panthers closed the first half with a 27-7 run to quell any hopes of a possible upset from the Division III Blueboys.

“During that one segment, we played pretty efficiently offensively,” Eastern head coach Mike Miller said. “That ball moved and I think we were hard to guard. When you find a flow like that, it’s just moving, and you’re playing and things are happening. You keep working throughout games to get in a flow like that.”

After IC pulled to within 32-29 with 6 minutes, 41 seconds left, it was the play of guards Mike Robinson and Julio Anthony that allowed Eastern to pull away.

After Robinson’s layup put Eastern up 44-31, Anthony gained control of an IC turnover and passed ahead to Robinson for an easy layup.

A minute later, with the Blueboys in a 2-3 zone, the Panthers used excellent ball movement to break down the zone. Anthony was the last recipient of the ball movement, hitting a 3-pointer from the left wing, which increased Eastern’s lead to 50-32.

Illinois College committed 14 fouls in the first half, and Eastern made 16-of-18 free throw attempts in the first half.

“We got them in the bonus too early, and it seemed like they made them all in the first half,” IC head coach Mike Worrell said. “We can’t give a good team that many free throw opportunities.”

Anthony scored 18 points, handed out four assists and had three steals. It was the first time the 6-4, 190-pound senior had played since the Eastern beat Western Illinois on Dec. 22, 2006. He was academically ineligible during the second semester and sat out last Thursday with a right foot injury.

“Julio plays with poise,” Robinson said. “I call him ‘Smooth’ out there. He don’t really look like he’s being pressured or anything. He made the simple plays and knocked down shots. And the stats show.”

Robinson didn’t start for the second straight game, leaving questions about who will be the Panthers starting point guard in Saturday’s regular season opener against Harris-Stowe at 7 p.m. at Lantz Arena. Willhite started last Thursday’s exhibition game against Monmouth College.

But Anthony, who started in place of Willhite, made a strong case to crack the Panthers starting lineup.

Anthony said good ball movement was the key for Eastern’s offense on Monday.

“Coach has an emphasis of not letting the ball stick,” he said. “And that’s not letting the ball just stay in one position. If we move the ball around and get it to everybody’s hands and they just keep moving the ball around, there’s going to be open spots.”

Julio Anthony, senior guard, dribbles the ball toward the basket against Illinois College Monday night in Lantz Arena. The Panthers won the exhibition 92-61. Karla Browning/The Daily Eastern News

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