CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — Brendan Terry scored 22 points and Southeast Missouri State used a dominant first half to cruise past Eastern Illinois 77-59 in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Lantz Arena.

The Redhawks (13-10, 4-4 OVC) seized control from the opening tip, building a 13-point lead by the first media timeout and never looking back. They led 37-24 at halftime, holding the Panthers to just 24 points on 30% shooting in the opening period. The 18-point victory margin surpassed the pregame spread that favored Southeast Missouri State by 4.5 points.

Terry, a 6-foot-7 junior from Santa Monica, California, was the catalyst, adding eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 30 minutes. His all-around performance set the tone defensively and facilitated the offense.

The most critical sequence of the game came early, as the Redhawks capitalized on a spate of Eastern Illinois turnovers to build an insurmountable lead. After Braxton Stacker hit a 3-pointer for the game’s first points, Terry stole the ball on the Panthers’ next possession and converted a layup. Another Eastern Illinois turnover led to a Terry-assisted 3-pointer from Luke Almodovar, forcing a Panthers timeout just over four minutes into the game with Southeast Missouri State leading 8-1.

Eastern Illinois (9-14, 3-5) never recovered from the initial onslaught. The Panthers committed 12 turnovers, which the Redhawks converted into 14 points. Southeast Missouri State also dominated inside, outscoring Eastern Illinois 34-18 in the paint.

Stacker supported Terry with 17 points for the Redhawks, while Almodovar added 13. BJ Ward directed the offense with eight assists.

For Eastern Illinois, Markus Blackwell led the way with 16 points, all in the second half. Meechie White added 15 points and four assists, and Zion Fruster finished with 10 points. The Panthers shot just 39% from the field for the game, compared to 50% for Southeast Missouri State.

The Redhawks’ offensive efficiency was notable, scoring 77 points on 66 possessions for an offensive rating of 116.3. Eastern Illinois managed an offensive rating of just 90.6.

The game was a reversal of the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 1, which Southeast Missouri State won 68-59. The Redhawks have now won three straight games and four of their last five.

Eastern Illinois, which has lost three of four, was led inside by Nazareth Fisher’s eight rebounds, but the Panthers were outrebounded 36-30 overall.

Attendance was 1,337.

Southeast Missouri State next hosts Morehead State on Thursday. Eastern Illinois travels to face Tennessee State on Thursday.