Tweet #EIUBleedBlue

EIU Game Notes  |  Listen Live  |  Live Stats  |  Watch Live - OVC Digital Network  |

EASTERN ILLINOIS (15-10, 8-4 OVC) at SIU Edwardsville (9-14, 5-7 OVC)

Saturday, February 14  •  7 pm
Edwardsville, Ill. - Vadalabene Center (4,000)

RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 FM
TV: Fox Sports Midwest / OVC Digital Network
LIVE STATS: siuecougars.com
SERIES RECORD: EIU leads 8-2
LAST MEETING: @EIU 57, SIUE 54 - Jan. 31, 2015

GAME 26
Eastern Illinois concludes its three game Ohio Valley Conference road swing on Saturday night at SIU Edwardsville.  The Panthers dropped the opener on the road trip last Saturday at Southeast Missouri.  EIU rebounded to win on the road at Austin Peay on Thursday night.  EIU improved to 15-10 overall, 8-4 in the OVC.  The win insured that EIU would finish with a .500 or better OVC record for the first time since 2010 and only the fourth time since the 2001 season.  SIU Edwardsville lost at Murray State on Thursday night as the Cougars have lost three straight, a streak that began against EIU on Jan. 31.  SIUE is now 9-14 overall, 5-7 in the OVC. 

JOHNSTON CHASING RECORDS
Freshman guard Cornell Johnston scored 20 points with eight assists on Thursday at Austin Peay as he continues to chase records at EIU.  Johnston needs three assists to break the EIU freshman assist record of 115 set by Mike Robinson in 2006.  Johnston currently ranks 3rd in the OVC and 57th in the NCAA in assists.  Against APSU, Johnston was 4-of-4 from 3-point range as he now leads the OVC in 3-point shooting at 50.7 percent, that mark would set the EIU single season record.  Johnston has two games with 20 or more points and four eight assist games.

PANTHERS LOCK UP OVC TOURNAMENT SPOT
Eastern Illinois locked up a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday night improving to 8-4 in the league.  EIU currently has the second best record in the OVC but would play as the No. 3 seed in the OVC Tournament if the event begin today due to the divisional alignment.   EIU will be making its third straight OVC Tournament appearance in Nashville, March 4-7.

UP NEXT
Thursday, February 19 vs. UT Martin, 7 p.m. (Lantz Arena - TV on American Sports Network)
PROMOTION: EIU White Out... EIU White Out T-Shirts and Rockstar Energy Drinks will be handed out... Future Panther Appreciation with all fans high school age and younger admitted free...