By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

MACOMB, Ill. — Francis Okwuosah’s 3-pointer snapped the net and released the frustration that had built for two months and had consumed Western Illinois’ men’s basketball team.

Four minutes and 26 seconds remained in Tuesday’s game against Eastern Illinois at Western Hall, but to the Leathernecks, it felt like time ran out on their 14-game losing streak.

“When he hit that three, we all knew it,” guard Lucas Lorenzen said after the 79-70 win. “The energy in the building, you could just feel it. It was like, ‘All right, we’re going to get this one for sure.’”

“His emotions, the team’s emotions, the bench’s emotions … it was awesome,” Western Illinois coach Chad Boudreau said. “They feel it. They know we haven’t had the season we wanted.”

This was that game, Lorenzen said, when everything came together for Western Illinois (5-21 overall, 1-14 Ohio Valley Conference), who hadn’t won since a 69-66 victory at North Dakota on December 13.

“Obvously we’ve struggled since we entered conference play,” said Lorenzen, who led the Leathernecks with 24 points. “yHopefully it’s not too late. But, you know, I think just at this point, I think just stringing together a couple wins and just getting guys confidence is big. This group has been through a lot this year.

“It’s just refreshing. Relaxing.”

“We’re struggling lately. Obviously, our record shows that,” Okwuosah said. “But it just proves, if we lock into the details, we execute offensively and defensively, we can win games. We had a lot of energy, lot of enthusiasm, on the bench and on the court. When we can put the pieces together, we can be a good team.”

The Leathernecks have had leads in many of the games during this streak, but finishing games has been an issue. Western Illinois led for the last 23 minutes, and while the Panthers (10-16, 6-9) threatened, they couldn’t get the lead away.

“That’s a huge thing for us,” said Okwuosah, who had 11 points. “Obviously, we’ve lost a few games giving up second-half runs, giving up early runs. When Eastern made two, three shots, we didn’t put our heads down. We just got back to it, and we were able to respond in positive ways and come out with this win.”

The Leathernecks had lost their last three games by an average of 30.7 points, and Boudreau knew such a stretch could shut a team down with just six games left in the regular season.

“We talked a lot yesterday about who they are as people and who they’re going to be later on in life,” Boudreau said. “‘You’re gonna be a father someday. You gotta show up, and you gotta be dialed in. You’re gonna have a job someday. You gotta show up. You’ve got to be dialed in.’ We told them to come out, play hard, have fun with it. And they did. And I thought it was the first time we never broke all year.”

The final run that broke the Panthers came when they got within 62-60. Western Illinois got four quick points — two free throws by Lorenzen and a layup by Makai Kvamme — then Kvamme came up with a steal and charged up court, firing a pass to Okwuosah, who delivered the critical 3-pointer.

“It was huge, and I think it hurt them,” Boudreau said. 

“It was a great energy play,” Okwuosah said. “That cross-court pass from Makai, it was just a great pass. Got a lot of energy in the building. Got a lot of energy from guys on the bench, people in the crowd. It was great to get everyone going.”

The Leathernecks also got 12 points each from Isaiah Griffin and Marcus Pigram.

“A lot of guys,” Okwuosah said, “made a lot of great plays.”

The Leathernecks made sure to grab the Old Railsplitter Ax, which goes to the winner in this rivalry series, as they started their post-game celebration.

“I didn’t even know there was an Ax,” Lorenzen said, laughing. “Guys were hyped up in the locker room.

“It was a good time.”

Boudreau thought back to Saturday, an 83-56 at Tennessee State followed by a long trip home.

“That’s a game where they could have shut it down and quit,” he said. “But they didn’t. And I’m proud of them for that.”

Photo: Western Illinois’ Lucas Lorenzen (left) tries to get past Eastern Illinois’ Preston Turner in Tuesday’s game. (Photo courtesy of WIU Athletic Communications)