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Eastern Illinois edges Western Illinois 44-41

Dec 13, 2009 - 3:38 AM MACOMB, Ill.(AP) -- Jeremy Granger scored six of Eastern Illinois' final eight points as the Panthers held off Western Illinois 44-41 Saturday night.

On an abysmal shooting night for both teams - 29.2 percent by Eastern, 27.3 by Western - Tyler Laser scored 15 and Granger 10 to lead the Panthers (5-4).

David Nurse scored 14, including four 3-pointers, for the Leathernecks (4-6). David Gebru added 11. No one else for either team scored more than six.

In the first half alone, Eastern endured scoreless streaks of 4:30 and 6:15, while Western had two scoreless stretches of 6:30 and another of 5:05. Eastern led 18-14 at halftime.

Western tied it 36-36 with 6 minutes left, but Granger hit two baskets and two free throws that, along with two free throws by Laser, put Eastern ahead 44-41. Western's Jelani Johnson got off a final shot at the buzzer, but it missed.