GAME 22
Eastern Illinois returns home to host two games this week against Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech.  This will be the only match-up between the two teams in the unbalanced Ohio Valley Conference schedule.  EIU enters at 7-14 overall, 3-7 in the OVC.  The Panthers have lost three straight league games after a pair of losses on the road in Nashville last weekend.  JSU enters at 16-7, 7-3 in the OVC with the Gamecocks having won three of their last four.  JSU won the OVC Tournament last season to advance to the school's first NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.

Mack Smith CONTINUES SCORING
Mack Smith helped carry the Eastern Illinois offense for the second straight week as the freshman had 16 points on Thursday at Belmont and 17 points on Saturday at Tennessee State.  Smith was the Panthers lone double figure scorer at TSU as he has now scored in double figures in four straight games.  Smith was the OVC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 22 and has averaged 18 points per game over those four games while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.  He has made multiple 3-pointers in seven straight games with a high of six against UT Martin on Jan. 18.  Smith is the first EIU freshman to score in double figures in four straight games since Joey Miller had five straight double figures games in early January of 2012. 

PANTHERS SOLID AT THE FOUL LINE AT TSU
Eastern Illinois was held to just 29 percent shooting from the floor at Tennessee State on Saturday night.  EIU was able to remain in the contest due to a solid night at the foul line.  EIU was 14-of-14 from the free throw line with Mack Smith going 9-of-9 in the game.  For the season EIU is shooting 68.6 percent from the foul line with the previous best shooting night this season a 12-of-13 game at home versus Belmont.

UP NEXT
Saturday, February 3 vs. Tennessee Tech - 3:15 pm