EASTERN ILLINOIS (7-6) vs. UT Martin (5-6)
Thursday, January 3 • 7:30 pm
Charleston, Ill. • Lantz Arena
EIU GAME NOTES: PDF Link
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 FM
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: 47th meeting, EIU leads 24-22
LAST MEETING: EIU 64, @UTM 57 on Feb. 17, 2018
GAME 14
Eastern Illinois opens Ohio Valley Conference play on Thursday hosting UT Martin. The Panthers wrapped up non-conference play on Sunday with an 81-70 win over North Alabama to give EIU a 7-6 record to open league play. It marks the third time in the last five seasons that EIU has posted a winning non-conference record. UT Martin enters the OVC opener with a 5-6 record after the Skyhawks lost their final non-conference game on the road at Bowling Green.
PANTHERS SWEEP WEEKLY AWARDS
Eastern Illinois accomplished a program first on Monday as they swept all three weekly Ohio Valley Conference awards for the first time in school history.
Mack Smith was named the OVC Player of the Week scoring 21 points with seven rebounds.
Shareef Smith was named the OVC Newcomer of the Week scoring 20 points with six assists.
Cam Burrell was named the OVC Freshman of the Week after collecting a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Josiah Wallace is the only other player to win an OVC weekly award this season as he was the OVC Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 26. EIU joined the OVC for the 1996-97 season
BURRELL DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Freshman
Cam Burrell posted his first career double-double in Sunday's win over North Alabama as he pulled down ten rebounds to go along with 11 points off the bench. Burrell returned on Dec. 15 against Bradley after missing eight games due to injury. He scored six points at Iowa State before collecting the double-double against UNA to win OVC Freshman of the Week honors. Last season at Morgan Park HS, Burrell had 29 double-doubles in 34 games. He is the third EIU player to post a double-double this season joining fellow freshman
Ben Harvey and sophomore
Mack Smith.
UP NEXT
Saturday, January 5 vs. SIUE at 3:15 p.m. (ESPN+)
