EASTERN ILLINOIS (7-4, 1-1)
vs. Jacksonville State (5-6, 1-0)
Jan. 2, 2010 • 6:00 p.m. (CST)
Lantz Arena • Charleston, Ill.
Radio: Hit Mix 88.9 FM • TV: WEIU
- Mike Bradd & Jack Ashmore
GAME 13
Eastern Illinois opens the new year hosting Jacksonville State in Ohio Valley Conference action as the Panthers play three straight at Lantz Arena. EIU is off to a 1-1 start in OVC play having split a league series on the road in early December. The Panthers are 7-5 overall following a road loss at Saint Louis on Tuesday that snapped a three game win streak. JSU is 1-0 in OVC action having knocked off Tennessee Tech in December. The Gamecocks are 5-6 overall and will be playing only their fourth road game all season.
EIU-JACKSONVILLE STATE SERIES
Eastern Illinois holds the upper hand in this series as the two teams will be meeting for the 11th time. EIU holds a 7-3 series lead and has swept the season series in each of the last three seasons. The Panthers won in Lantz 63-60 last season and 78-69 at Jacksonville State in a game televised on ESPNU. EIU head coach Mike Miller is 6-2 all-time against the Gamecocks.
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE
The Gamecocks are off to a 5-6 start under second year head coach James Green. JSU has dropped two straight after falling on Tuesday night 90-75 at No. 21 Mississippi. JSU features one of the top newcomers in the OVC in junior college transfer Trenton Marshall who leads the team with 18.9 points per game. He is joined in double figure scoring by Nick Murphy (13.8), Jay-R Strowbridge (13.3) and Jeremy Bynum (11.9) as the Gamecocks average 76.3 points.
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
Eastern Illinois will look to ring in the new year with a win for the third straight season when they host Jacksonville State. Last season EIU won at JSU 78-69 on Jan. 3 and in 2008 on Jan. 3 the Panthers used overtime to beat Murray State 83-80. Under head coach Mike Miller, EIU is 2-1 in games played on either Jan. 2 or Jan. 3 to open a new calendar year. EIU is 8-13 overall on those dates.
