Eastern’s men’s basketball team had one more chance after a tiebreaker scenario arose with Eastern Kentucky’s loss to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, all the Panthers needed was a win over the Colonels and they would avoid an early end to their season. 

Despite a heroic performance from senior guard Jeremy Granger, the Panthers could not match the hot shooting Eastern Kentucky Colonels, losing 86-74. The loss seals the Panthers’ fate, as they will miss the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the second consecutive season. 

Head coach Mike Miller said he wanted to win, desperately, for the team, but especially for Granger. 

“I really wanted (a win) for everybody, but I really wanted it for (Granger),” Miller said. “On Friday it was like he had a new lease on life. He was so excited to get a chance to play again and know it would come down to one game.”

Granger had 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-4 from the three-point line. He showed his will down the stretch, scoring the Panthers’ last eight points; however, they would not come within 12 points of the lead in the second half. He also added five rebounds and one steal. 

With the 26 points, Granger finishes his career 16th on Eastern’s scoring list with 1,287 points in his career. 

The Panthers held control in the beginning of the first half, grabbing a 24-20 lead with eight minutes left in the half; however, Eastern Kentucky would out-score the Panthers 22-7 for the rest of the half. With a 42-31 lead going into the second half, the Colonels opened the second half on a 9-2 run to extend the lead to 18 points, and they never looked back. 

Miller said the Panthers’ inability to make a stop was the story of the game. 

“We got off to a really good start offensively,” Miller said. “Defensively, we couldn’t get a stop.” 

The Panthers did everything they could offensively, shooting 51 percent for the game including 9-of-17 from beyond the three-point line. However, Eastern Kentucky was even better, shooting 55 percent from the field and making seven three-point shots. 

Joshua and Jaron Jones proved to be too much for the Panthers. Joshua Jones scored a game-high 27 points on 10-14 shooting, while making four three-point shots. Jaron Jones scored 23 points, but did a majority of his work from the free-throw line, making 8-of-9 shots. 

The loss ends the Panthers’ season with a 12-17 overall record and a 5-11 record in the OVC, while Eastern Kentucky will advance to the conference tournament with a 16-15 record overall and a 7-9 record in the OVC. The Colonels with play Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday in the first round of the conference tournament. 

Rob Mortell can be reached at 581-7944 or at rdmortell@eiu.edu.