PDF Box | HTML Box | Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Call it déjà vu as Zac Swansey sank a shot in the final ten seconds of the game for the second time this season to knock off Eastern Illinois (8-12, 4-6 OVC). On Thursday night he did it at Lantz Arena as Swansey's 23-foot 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds left proved to be the difference in a Tennessee Tech 77-74 win over the Panthers.
Swansey hit a two-point game winner back on Dec. 19 in Cookeville with 3.2 seconds left to lead TTU to a 65-64 win over EIU that night. It was also the second straight game that EIU had been defeated on a late game 3-pointer after Benzor Simmons hit one last Saturday to lift UT Martin to a one point win over the Panthers.
Swansey's shot for TTU (10-9, 6-4) overshadowed a career night by Eastern Illinois junior guard Jeremy Granger who finished with a career high 29 points while collecting his first career double-double with 10 rebounds. Granger had his 3-point attempt to tie in the final two seconds hit just left of the mark.
TTU jumped out to an 11 point lead with 7:34 to play in the first half on a Dennis Ogbe jumper in the paint. The Golden Eagles again stretched the lead to 11 on a Kevin Murphy jumper with 3:28 left in the half that put TTU up 32-21.
The Panthers closed the half with an 11 -2 run including a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Granger from just across the half court stripe. Granger had 17 in the first half as he finished the game shooting 12-of-21 from the floor and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
EIU took its first lead of the game with 13:06 to play in the game on a pair of Shaun Pratl free throws that put EIU up 44-43. Zach Bailey answered for TTU with a 3-pointer as the Golden Eagles hit 9-of-18 from behind the arc for the night. Swansey was 6-of-9 as he finished with 22 points. Murphy also had 22 points for TTU.
Granger gave EIU its final lead of the game at 74-72 with 1:55 left in the game. Murphy would tie the game with a jumper with 1:04 left to set the stage for Swansey. Alfred Jones, the nation's leading field goal shooter, added 12 points for TTU who played the game without head coach Mike Sutton who remained back in Cookeville, Tenn., for the contest.
Pratl and freshman Alfonzo McKinnie also had 13 points for the Panthers. EIU will return to action on Saturday at 6 p.m. when they host Jacksonville State.
