CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — Zion Fruster scored 25 points as Eastern Illinois earned its first win of the season, defeating Nicholls State 65-57 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday at Lantz Arena. The Panthers improved to 1-1, while the Colonels fell to 0-2.

Eastern Illinois led 25-16 at halftime, but Nicholls State surged in the second half with 41 points. The Colonels’ Jaylen Searles scored 20 points and Trae English added 17 in the comeback effort. Eastern Illinois, however, maintained its lead, aided by Fruster’s game-high scoring and four assists before an announced crowd of 1,024.