Second-year freshman center Johni Broome was held scoreless for the first 15 minutes against Eastern Illinois Wednesday night but still finished with his ninth double-double of the 2021-22 season with 21 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with six blocked shots, while grad transfer Tray Hollowell poured in 16 points as the Morehead State men's basketball team held off the Panthers 63-50 at Johnson Arena.
MSU (9-5) won its third straight game, opened Ohio Valley Conference play 1-0, and completed the 2021 calendar with no home losses (14 consecutive wins). EIU dipped to 2-11 overall.
Broome, whose double-double was his 22nd career DD, slammed in a dunk at 5:01 of the first half for his first points and had six points and five boards at the half. but the Eagles trailed 26-23. He got going in the second 20 minutes, scoring the Eagles' first two buckets, and registering 15 points.
Meanwhile, Hollowell was 3-for-3 on three-pointers in the second period and had his 11th double-figure game. He now has 971 career collegiate points, counting his four years at Wofford.
MSU also had 15 assists on its 23 made, led by OVC assist leader Ta'Lon Cooper with seven. It marked the Spartanburg, S.C., point guard's eighth game with 6+ helpers in 2021-22.
The Eagles had trouble putting away the pesky Panthers, who shot 50 percent from three-point range. MSU finally built a double-digit lead (46-36) after Hollowell's triple with 8:10 to play. Hollowell's bucket with 5:02 remaining sent the home team's lead to 15, which they equaled with 27 seconds left as well.
CJ Lane was 4-of-5 on three-balls and scored a team-high 20 points for the Panthers.
MSU gets back to action Saturday as the Eagles host Tennessee State following the women's game. Tip-off at 4 p.m. ET or after.
