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EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-8, 2-4 OVC) at Belmont (14-1, 8-0 OVC)
Thursday, Jan. 21 •  7 pm 
Nashville, Tenn.  •  Curb Event Center

EIU GAME NOTES: PDF Link
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 FM
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: Belmont leads 10-2 
LAST MEETING: @Belmont 87, EIU 55 on Jan. 4, 2020

GAME 14
Eastern Illinois hits the road for a weekend swing through Nashville as the Panthers play at Belmont on Thursday night and Tennessee State on Saturday.  EIU will play four of the next five on the road with the lone exception a rescheduled home date with SIUE on Jan. 26.  Eastern Illinois is coming off a five-game homestand where the Panthers went 2-3 following Saturday's overtime loss to Eastern Kentucky.  EIU is now 5-8 overall, 2-4 in the OVC.  Belmont is one of the hottest teams in the nation having won 11 straight which ranks as the nation's seventh longest win streak entering the week.  Belmont is 14-1 overall, 8-0 in the OVC with the one loss this year on the road at Samford back on Dec. 5.  

FRIDAY SOLID NEAR THE HOOP
Sammy Friday IV continues to contribute near the hoop for Eastern Illinois as the graduate transfer from Siena finished with a season high 18 points on Saturday against Eastern Kentucky.  Friday was 7-of-8 from the floor and is 12-of-14 over the last three games.  On the season Friday ranks third in the OVC in field goal percentage at 61.4 percent.  Friday has been in double figures four times this season including a double-double at Green Bay with 14 points and 12 rebounds.  In terms of rebounding he ranks sixth in the OVC in offensive rebounds with 31 of his 58 rebounds  on the season on the offensive glass.

DISHING THE BALL AROUND
Eastern Illinois passed out a season high 20 assists on Saturday against Eastern Kentucky marking the first time this season EIU has hit the 20 assist mark.  The last time EIU had 20 or more assists in a game was the 2020 regular season finale at SIUE.  In Saturday's game Marvin Johnson had eight assists as he is averaging 6.2 assists per game over the past five games while senior Mack Smith added a career high seven assists.  EIU is averaging 13.2 assists per game. 

UP NEXT
Saturday, Jan. 23 at Tennessee State, 4 pm (ESPN+)