Indian State men's basketball opened their 2011-12 season against the Eastern Illinois Panthers Friday night in Hulman Center.  After a tough-fought game from both teams, ISU pulled away with the win at 79-72.

Senior guard and forward Carl Richard led the Sycamores with 15 points, followed by sophomore guard Jake Odum with 14.  ISU made 22 out of  53 field goals (41.5%), 6 out of 19 3-pointers (31.6%), and 29 out of 36 free throws (80.6%).  Richard also led in defensive rebounds with five and senior center Myles Walker led in offensive rebounds with three.  ISU beat the Panthers in rebounds 36-27.  

"We needed a close game.  I told the guys before the game, we were in the NCAA tournament last year, we won a tournament title, people are gonna give us their best shot.  " Head Coach Greg Lansing said.       

The Sycamores put the first points on the board for the night with a jumper by Richard assisted by Odum.  After a tie at four, a field goal by sophomore guard Steve McWhorter and a 3-pointer by Richard put the Sycamores in the lead 9-4.

With 13:55 to go in the first half, a field goal by freshman center Justin Gant, followed by a field goal by senior center Myles Walker, gave ISU a lead of 17-11.  The Panthers fought back to tie the score at 19.  EIU took a short lead until the Sycamores went on a 5-0 run, with a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Lucas Eitel and a layup by Odum, to regain the lead of 27-24.

The rest of the first half was a close game, tying three times.  The last tie was broken, with 1:57 left on the clock, by a good foul shot by Odum.  Eitel finished up the Sycamores score for the first half with a 3-pointer assisted by Richard.  ISU went into half time on top 41-39.

The Panthers came out and tied the score at 41 to start out the second half, but ISU shut them down with a 6-0 run, including a layup by McWhorter, a layup by Odum, and two good foul shots by Odum, putting the Sycamores in the lead 47-41.  

With 14:10 remaining in the half, an ally-oop by senior guard Dwayne Lathan, assisted by Odum, got the crowd pumped and put the score at 50-47.  

With 10:20 left in the game, a 3-pointer by freshman forward Jake Kitchell, assisted by Eitel, started ISU's 9-0 run over the Panthers, putting the Sycamores in the lead 64-54.  The Panthers fought back with a 6-0 run to bring the score within 5 at 70-65.  

With 20 seconds were left in the game, and the score was within three at 75-72. The Panthers fouled McWhorter to put him at the line for two.  Both free throws were good, and ISU was that much closer to the win.  An EIU player drove down the court but missed the jumper and turned around to foul Lathan.  Lathan went to the line for two with 9 seconds left in the game.  Both shots were good, and ISU walked away with a win at 79-72.    

"We feel like we have a bulls-eye on our backs from people in conference, to people we play out of conference," Richard said.  "We know we are going to get everyone's best shot because we were a tournament team, and I mean it is college basketball, nobody wants to go home."