E Illinois defeats East-West 110-56
E Illinois Shuts Out East-West in Dominating 54-Point Statement Win
In a crushing display of dominance, the E Illinois Panthers (non-conference) annihilated the visiting East-West squad by a margin of 54 points, 110-56, at Groniger Arena on Tuesday evening. The blowout victory served as a statement win for the home team, showcasing their impressive depth and versatility.
The turning point in the game came at halftime, when E Illinois took control with a commanding 51-22 lead. From that point forward, East-West struggled to mount any sort of comeback, as E Illinois continued to extend its lead.
Andre Washington led the charge for E Illinois, scoring 24 points on an efficient 78.6% shooting performance from the field, including zero three-pointers made. He was joined by Terry McMorris, who contributed 10 rebounds and 9 points off the bench, while Zion Fruster chipped in with 6 assists and 15 points.
In stark contrast, Devine Conley paced East-West with a team-high 22 points on 57.1% shooting from the field, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. The visiting squad struggled to find its rhythm, converting just 29.0% of their field goal attempts and making only 9 of 11 free throws.
The advanced statistics told a similar tale. E Illinois shot an impressive 63.9% from the field, including 70.8% from two-point range, while East-West struggled to find its mark at 35.5%. The Panthers also outrebounded their opponents 58-26 and committed just 13 turnovers compared to East-West's 16.
The true shooting percentages further highlighted E Illinois' efficiency. With a True Shooting Percentage of 66.3%, the Panthers showed they could be effective in multiple facets, from scoring (eFG%) to free throw shooting (FT Rate). Conversely, East-West struggled at just 37.9% on True Shooting.
For East-West, this loss serves as a stark reminder that it still has work to do if it wants to compete with the top teams in the conference. E Illinois, meanwhile, will look to build momentum and confidence as it moves forward into its schedule.
The Panthers' victory marks an important step forward for their program, showcasing their potential to contend for league titles. With this performance, they have sent a clear message: they are here to stay.