GAME NOTES  |  Tennessee State Website

EASTERN ILLINOIS (1-4)
vs. TENNESSEE STATE (2-3)

Dec. 4, 2008 • 8 pm
Lantz Arena • Charleston, Ill.
Radio: Hit Mix 88.9 FM TV: WEIU
- Mike Bradd & Jack Ashmore

GAME 6
Eastern Illinois opens its 13 season of basketball in the Ohio Valley Conference as the Panthers host Tennessee State on Thursday night. EIU is 3-9 in its previous 12 OVC openers. EIU has previously played TSU one time to open conference play with a 67-59 TSU win in Nashville during the 1998-99 season. The Panthers are coming off a two point buzzer beating loss to IPFW to stand at 1-4. TSU is 2-3 after a Monday night setback to Belmont.

EIU/TENNESSEE STATE SERIES
This will be the 39th meeting between EIU and TSU with the Tigers holding a 22-16 series advantage. TSU swept both contests last season winning in Charleston 74-72 and then in Nashville 79-72 with the game broadcast on ESPNU. No player on the current EIU roster has ever beaten Tennessee State as the Tigers have won six straight meetings.

SCOUTING TENNESSEE STATE
The Tigers are 2-3 on the year after a Monday night loss to Belmont. TSU is averaging 80.4 points per game with Gerald Robinson Jr., leading the squad with 22 points per game. They are also dominating play on the glass with a 41.8 rebounds per game average. Three players are averaging above 7.5 rebounds per game with Stephen Evans the best at 8.2 rpg.

WIPING THE GLASS
Eastern Illinois has been solid on the glass the season as the Panthers have a plus five rebounding margin through five games to rank 87th in the NCAA. Ousmane Cisse holds the team lead for the third straight season with 5.4 rebounds per game including a recent double-digit effort at IUPUI. Guard Romain Martin has also been a surprise rebounder pulling down 4.6 boards per game.