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Western Illinois University Athletics

Garret Covington FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
57
Eastern Illinois EIU 2-6
64
Winner Western Illinois WIU 7-2
Eastern Illinois EIU
2-6
57
Final
64
Western Illinois WIU
7-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Eastern Illinois EIU 32 25 57
Western Illinois WIU 29 35 64

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Beat Eastern Illinois; Covington Joins 1,000-Point Club

WIU improves to 7-2 on the season, the program’s best start in its DI history

PHOTOS | COACH WRIGHT POSTGAME INTERVIEW

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois trailed at the midway point before retaking the lead and defeating in-state foe Eastern Illinois, 64-57, Saturday afternoon (Dec. 12) inside Western Hall.
 
The Leathernecks improved to 7-2 on the year, the program's best start in its DI history. The Panthers dropped to 2-6.
 
"The 7-2 record is great, we're really honored to be a part of history," said head coach Billy Wright. "Each program, each team wants to be known for something. The 7-2 start is a great accomplishment, but we want to keep it going. We want to continue the journey and hopefully we can be dancing in March."
 
WIU found itself down by five points early in the second half after EIU scored the first two points after the break.
 
The Leathernecks, however, used an 18-4 run over seven minutes to take their biggest lead of the game, nine points, with just over 12 minutes left in regulation.
 
EIU cut its deficit to three points or less twice, but Western, which scored 21 second-chance points on 22 offensive rebounds, was able to hold on to its seventh win of the season.
 
"I thought in the second half we did a much better job guarding the ball, getting the defensive rebound, and really pushing the ball to get open baskets in transition. I thought that stepping up and making free throws down the stretch helped, and I think we got some defensive stops down the stretch that really put us in position to win the ball game. It was a tough battle, Eastern is our rival, and we know that when you play your rivalry game you throw your records out the door," continued Wright.
 
Junior guard Garret Covington became the 23rd member of the program's 1,000-point club Saturday. The Edwardsville, Ill. native finished with 11 points while dishing out four assists and not turning the ball over in 26 minutes. He now has 1,004 career points.
 
"Credit Garret… He works really hard on his game. Countless hours shooting shots, and making free throws… He really puts a lot of time in. He does a lot for our University on and off the floor. For him to join that 1,000-point club is a great accomplishment and well deserved," concluded Wright.
 
J.C. Fuller, a senior guard from Sioux City, Iowa, finished with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-19 shooting from the field. Fuller was 4-of-8 from the field in the second half and 3-of-4 from downtown during the final 20 minutes of action. He also grabbed five rebounds and recorded a game-high three steals.
 
Grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds, nine on the offensive end, was Tate Stensgaard. The senior forward also scored nine points and finished with two blocks.
 
Junior guard Jabari Sandifer pulled down nine rebounds while tallying a game-high five assists, and adding six points to WIU's winning effort.
 
For the first time this season WIU's opponent bettered the Leathernecks from the field (37.9 percent - 32.8) and the free throw line (76.9 percent – 70.0) in a victory. Western bettered Eastern in rebounds (47-36), assists (13-10), turnovers (12-15), blocks (7-4) and steals (6-4).
 
Western hits the road for its next four games, two to conclude nonconference play and two to open Summit League play. The Leathernecks are in Chicago next weekend for games at Chicago State (Dec. 19) and Loyola (Dec. 21).

 
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