The Western Illinois men's basketball team secured a 70-66 victory over rival Eastern Illinois, retaining the Old Railsplitter Ax and maintaining fourth place in the Ohio Valley Conference. Despite a challenging game, the Leathernecks managed to pull off the win and extend their lead in the second half. A balanced effort led by Quinlan Bennett, JJ Kalakon, and others contributed to the hard-fought victory.

By the Numbers
  • Leathernecks shot 41.7% from the field (25-60), 63.2% from the line (12-19), and 28.6% from three (4-14).
  • Outrebounded EIU 45-33 and outscored them 32-20 in the paint and 17-7 on second-chance points.
State of Play
  • Leathernecks secure fourth place in the OVC, earning a first-round bye in the upcoming conference tournament.
  • 12 wins in conference play mark the most for the program since 2012-13, with 19 overall wins also being the most since the same season.
What's Next

Leathernecks will close out the regular season by hosting SIUE for Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

Bottom Line

Western Illinois' hard-fought victory over Eastern Illinois solidifies their fourth-place position in the OVC and sets the stage for a competitive showing in the upcoming conference tournament.