Western Illinois Tops Eastern Illinois 70-66, Secures Conference Tournament Bye
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.
- 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.
Leathernecks will close out the regular season by hosting SIUE for Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
Bottom LineWestern 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.
Read more at Western Illinois University Athletics
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