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Nov. 18, 2010 • 7 p.m. (CST)
Gentile Center • Chicago, Ill.
Radio: Hit Mix 88.9 FM • TV: Lakeshore Public TV

GAME 3
Eastern Illinois travels up I-57 to Chicago for a Thursday night contest at Loyola-Chicago. The Panthers are coming off an 0-2 start to the season following losses at home to South Dakota State and on the road at Ball State. The Panthers last 0-3 start to open a season was in 2006-07 when they lost three games at the Iowa State Tournament to open the year.

EIU-LOYOLA SERIES
This will be only the seventh meeting between the two in-state schools as both EIU and Loyola have won three games in the series. Loyola has had the upper hand in recent years winning in Lantz Arena, 72-65, on Nov. 13, 2007 and at the Gentile Center, 66-43, on Feb. 17, 2007. Both of those games were played as part of the ESPNU Bracketbuster series. Loyola will return this year's game to Lantz Arena next season.

SCOUTING LOYOLA
The Ramblers are off to a 3-0 start after winning the Nick Kladis Classic in Chicago over the weekend. Loyola picked up home wins over Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State and Texas Pan American to win their own tournament. Five players are currently averaging in double figures for the Ramblers with Walt Gibler leading the group at 15.7 points per game. Andy Polka is coming off the bench to lead the team with 9.3 rebounds per contest. Loyola was picked to finish 8th in the preseason Horizon League poll.

PANTHERS PICKED THIRD IN OVC RACE
Eastern Illinois was picked to finish third in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference poll released in late October. The Panthers have also been picked to finish third by many preseason publications. EIU finished at 19-12 last season, 11-7 in the OVC. EIU won its first round OVC Tournament game with Eastern Kentucky before falling in the OVC semifinals, 55-51, to Murray State. The Racers have been picked as the preseason OVC favorites.

LASER NEARS 1,000 MARK FOR CAREER
Tyler Laser enters Thursday's game needing seven points to join the Panthers 1,000 point club for his career. Laser enters with 993 career points having scored 20 to open the season against South Dakota State and Ball State. Laser is averaging 11 points per game for his career. When Laser cracks the 1,000 point mark he will become the 35th player in EIU history to accomplish that feat.

COLD FROM THE STRIPE
Eastern Illinois was one of the better free throw shooting teams in the nation last season but this year the cold shooting has not only been from the field but also the free throw line. EIU is shooting 57.5 percent from the charity stripe in its first two games hitting only 23-of-40 shots. Tyler Laser is 4-4 and James Hollowell is 2-2 but everyone else has at least one miss. Jeremy Granger who ranked 21st in the nation last year is shooting 78 percent early in the year.

NO POINTS OFF THE BENCH
Eastern Illinois has had to lean on its starting five for most of its point production through the opening two games. In Friday's opener with South Dakota State, Nick McFarlin was the lone bench player to score any points as he contributed two points in 10 minutes of action. Sunday's game at Ball State was a little better as the Panthers had eight points of bench production come from five different players. On the season EIU's starters are scoring 45.5 of the team's 50.5 points per game.

HOLLOWELL OFF TO GOOD YEAR WITH BLOCKS 
James Hollowell opened the 2011 season much the way he ended the 2010 season in terms of his ability to block shots. Last year Hollowell blocked five shots in the OVC semifinal loss to Murray State. On Friday he opened the year with five blocked shots against South Dakota State. He would add two more on Sunday at Ball State as he increased his career blocked shots total to 43. He needs just seven more blocks to crack the EIU career Top 10. Last season against Jacksonville State Hollowell set the single game record blocking six Gamecock shot attempts.

GRANGER CARRYING EARLY LOAD
Junior Jeremy Granger has been carrying the early offensive load for the Panthers as he leads the team with 13.5 points per game. Granger scored 16 against South Dakota State before adding 11 at Ball State. He is the team leader with five assists and second on the team with 12 rebounds.