Omaha beats Eastern Illinois in Las Vegas 80-68
LAS VEGAS (AP) Jake White scored 20 points and Tre'Shawn Thurman 18 and Omaha defeated Eastern Illinois 80-68 on Monday at the Global Sports Classic.
Omaha will play Southern on Tuesday in the championship game of the ''Visitors' Bracket'' while Eastern Illinois will play North Carolina Central for third place.
The Mavericks (7-6) took a 41-25 halftime lead with White scoring 12 points and Devin Patterson 10. Omaha shot 51.4 percent in the first half and ended up 31 of 58 overall for 53.4 percent. Patterson finished with 15 points.
The Buccaneers (2-8) was 24 of 64 for 37.5 percent, including 10 of 31 from 3-point range. Eastern Illinois gave up 22 turnovers that Omaha turned into 32 points.
Trae Anderson led Eastern Illinois with 15 points with Cornell Johnson adding 12 and Demetrius McReynolds 11.
Omaha led by as many 22 in the second half. Eastern Illinois got as close as 10 with 1:48 to play.
