GAME NOTES  |  UT Martin Website

EASTERN ILLINOIS (11-14, 8-7 OVC)
at UT MARTIN (18-6, 11-3 OVC)

Feb. 18, 2009 • 7 pm
Lantz Arena • Charleston, Ill.
Radio: Hit Mix 88.9 FM • TV: WEIU Channel 51
- Mike Bradd & Jack Ashmore

GAME 26
Eastern Illinois plays its final regular season home game on Wednesday night as the Panthers host UT Martin at 7 p.m. EIU has dropped to sixth in the OVC standings following losses at Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky over the weekend. EIU can still post a . 500 or better season in the OVC by winning one of its three remaining OVC contests. UT Martin enters in second place in the OVC race, winners of 11 straight games.

EIU - UT MARTIN SERIES
This be the 28th meeting between Eastern Illinois and UT Martin. The Skyhawks took the series lead 14-13 with their 65-51 win over the Panthers in late January. The Skyhawks have won three straight in the series with the last EIU win coming Feb. 10, 2007 at Lantz Arena. The series between the two schools has always been close with six of the 27 meetings going to overtime.

SCOUTING UT MARTIN
UT Martin features one of the nation's most explosive scorers in senior guard Lester Hudson. Hudson is second in the nation averaging 27.9 points per game which trails Stephen Curry of Davidson at 29.0 and sits just ahead of Jodie Meeks of Kentucky at 25.8. Hudson has increased his production in OVC action to average 29.1 ppg while shooting 46 percent from the field. The Skyhawks surround Hudson with Marquis Weddle at 13.1 ppg and Olajide Hay at 9.6 ppg.

PANTHERS SENIOR NIGHT
Eastern Illinois hosts its annual senior night game on Wednesday as the Panthers recognize this year's lone senior Billy Parrish prior to the contest. EIU has won its last two senior night games with a 64-61 victory over Samford last season and a 77-69 win over Southeast Missouri in 2007, a game played on ESPNU. All-time EIU is 18-9 on senior night during its NCAA Division I history and 7-5 in senior night games as an OVC member.