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EASTERN ILLINOIS (3-14, 0-4) vs. Jacksonville State (11-5, 3-2)

Jan. 12, 2013  •  6 p.m.
Lantz Arena  •  Charleston, Ill.
Radio: Hit Mix 88.9 FM  •  TV: OVC Digital Network
Mike Bradd & Jack Ashmore


GAME 18
Eastern Illinois plays its fifth straight game against an Ohio Valley Conference East Division opponent as the Panthers host Jacksonville State on Saturday night at Lantz Arena.  EIU suffered a hard fought loss to Tennessee Tech on Thursday night as the Panthers led until the final two seconds before falling 77-73.  EIU dropped to 0-4 in the OVC and 3-14 overall.  The Panthers are currently 1-6 at home with that win coming over Houston Baptist on Nov. 24.  That win is also the last for the EIU team.  Jacksonville State picked up a road win at SIU Edwardsville on Thursday night improving to 11-5 overall, 3-2 in the OVC.  The Gamecocks are 2-0 in road OVC games this year also winning at UT Martin. 

WOODS HAS CAREER NIGHT
Morris Woods picked up his second straight start and responded with a career night scoring 25 points in the loss to Tennessee Tech.  Woods was 9-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the free throw line.  It was the first time in Woods career that he has passed the 20 point mark.  His previous high was 17 points against Central Arkansas in late November.  He has scored in double figures in three of the last five games and leads EIU in scoring in OVC play at 12.8 points per game.  Woods is shooting 60.7 percent from the floor in conference games.

PANTHERS LIGHT UP THE NETS, FALL SHORT IN POINT COLUMN
Eastern Illinois had its best offensive night of the season on Thursday against Tennessee Tech but fell short in the points column as TTU took the lead with two seconds left to beat EIU 77-73.  EIU scored a season high 73 points marking only the second time this year that the team has scored more than 70 (72 versus Central Arkansas).  EIU shot 55.3 percent from the floor making 26-of-47 shots.  It was the best shooting night of the year for the Panthers and only the third time this season EIU has shot over 50 percent from the floor.  The two other times resulted in wins over Texas Pan American (24-48 / 50 pct) and Houston Baptist (22-42 / 52.4 pct).

UP NEXT
Thursday - January 17 at Murray State - 7 p.m. 

LAST TIME OUT
Eastern Illinois led Tennessee Tech until the final minute of action before falling on a jumper by Jud Dillard with two seconds left.  Following an EIU turnover on the inbounds pass the Panthers had to foul.  TTU sank both free throws to pick up the 77-73 victory.  EIU led by 15 points midway through the first half and held a 44-40 lead at the half.  TTU tied the game for the first time with 1:26 left.  EIU shot a season best 55 percent from the floor.  Morris Woods scored a career high 25 points while Sherman Blanford scored 16 off the bench.  EIU shot only 59 percent from the free throw line in the loss (16-of-27).

SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE
Jacksonville State enters the weekend at 3-2 in the OVC following a road win at SIU Edwardsville on Thursday night.  The Gamecocks are led by Darion Rackley at 14 points per game while four starters all average in double figures.  Rackley gets to the free throw line having made 73 of 101 free throws this season.  JSU's top rebounder is Ronnie Boggs at 5.7 per game as the Gamecocks are -3.9 in rebound margin this season.  JSU is currently 11-5 overall but the Gamecocks are not eligible for the OVC Tournament this year due to APR penalties.

SERIES INFORMATION
This will be the 16th meeting between Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State with all of the meetings taking place since JSU joined the OVC in 2003-04.  EIU holds a 9-6 all-time series lead including a 5-2 series advantage in Lantz Arena.  JSU has won three of the last four in the series including a 56-46 win over EIU in Lantz Arena on Jan. 29, 2011. 

PANTHERS SIGN WISCONSIN POST
Eastern Illinois head coach Jay Spoonhour signed Wisconsin post player Jake Verhagen as the first player in the 2013 class.  Verhagen is a 6'6 post at Appleton West HS where he averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds as a junior earning All-Fox Valley League honors.  He is rated the 26th best player in the state.  Verhagen is averaging 13 points per game for Appleton West as a senior.

ONE LINERS
• Sherman Blanford passed out a career high six assists against Tennessee Tech as he is second on the team with 34 assists.  Against TTU he scored 16 points off the bench and contributed to 14 more points with his six assists.

• Taylor Jones continues to light it up from 3-point range in OVC play.  The senior has made 10-of-19 from beyond the arc in four conference games to average 9.5 points per game.  He is 10th in 3-point shooting in OVC games at 52.6 percent.

• Josh Piper knocked down a 3-pointer for the 15th straight game going 1-of-2 against Tennessee Tech.  Piper leads EIU with 31 3-point field goals and ranks 6th in the OVC in 3-point shooting at 44.9 percent. 

• Austin Akers passed out six assists with only two turnovers against Tennessee Tech as he moved up to 2nd in the OVC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.5-to-1.  It was the fifth time this season Akers has had six or more assists.  He has 67 assists on the season which passes his 2012 season total of 63.

• Freshman Alex Austin has been solid at the free throw line in OVC action making 10-of-13 in conference play.  Austin is averaging 9.5 points per game in OVC games.  After a rough start to open the year at the free throw line Austin has made 22 of his last 29.

• EIU got to the free throw line a season high 27 times on Thursday against Tennessee Tech with the Panthers only knocking down 16 (59.3 percent).  For the season EIU has shot just under 100 fewer free throws than its opponents while making 90 fewer.  Opponents are shooting 70 percent for the year, EIU is shooting 61 percent.

EASTERN ILLINOIS HEAD COACH JAY SPOONHOUR
Jay Spoonhour enters his first season as the Panthers head coach having been hired on April 9, 2012.  Spoonhour was most recently the head coach at Moberly Area Community College where he coached for three seasons.  He is a long time assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level and served as the interim head coach at UNLV to complete the 2004 season posting a 6-4 record and taking the team to the finals of the Mountain West Conference along with an NIT appearance.  In 2001 Spoonhour was named the National Junior College Coach of the Year leading Wabash Valley College to the NJCAA National Championship with a 36-1 record.  He is the son of the late legendary coach Charlie Spoonhour.  Spoonhour played basketball at Pittsburg State earning his degree in 1994.  He was an honorable mention All-Conference selection.  He has assistant coaching stops at Central Missouri, Saint Louis, UNLV, Missouri and Texas San Antonio.  Spoohour's career mark is 109-46, 9-18 at NCAA Division I.

PANTHERS PICKED 5TH IN OVC WEST
Eastern Illinois was picked to finish in 5th place in the Ohio Valley Conference West Division this season.  The Panthers finished 10th last season in the one division format missing the OVC Tournament.  With the addition of Belmont to the OVC this season, the conference will play in two six team divisions.  Murray State was picked to win the West Division followed by Southeast Missouri, Austin Peay, SIU Edwardsville, EIU and UT Martin.  Belmont was selected to win the East Division after winning the Atlantic Sun Conference last year.

OVC GROWS, SPLITS TO DIVISIONS
The Ohio Valley Conference grew to 12 members with the addition of Belmont for the 2012-13 school year.  The OVC will now play in Divisions - East & West for men's and women's basketball.  Each school will play a home & home series within its division and one game against opponents from the opposite division (3 home games, 3 road games).  The two eight schools in the conference based on record will advance to the OVC Tournament in Nashville with the division winners seeded first and second.  SIU Edwardsville is now eligible to play in the OVC Tournament.  Due to NCAA APR penalties, Jacksonville State is not eligible for the OVC Tournament this season.

FATHER, SON COMBINATIONS
Jay Spoonhour and his late father, Charlie Spoonhour, are one of several father/son combinations that have coached in collegiate basketball.  Entering the season the two have combined to win 376 NCAA basketball games, all coming at the Division I level.  Only 17 father/son combinations have ever won 600 or more games with Eddie, Scott and Sean Sutton topping the list with 1,091 wins between the three.  Scott is currently the head coach at Oral Roberts.  Only three father/son combinations have ever won more than 1,000 games at the NCAA level.

OVC DIGITAL NETWORK
Basketball fans can watch each Eastern Illinois home game and all OVC road games for free online this year on the OVC Digital Network streaming platform.  Fans can view games by visiting - www.ovcdigitalnetwork.com