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Eastern Illinois (13-12, 8-6 OVC) at Belmont (16-7, 12-2 OVC)
Feb. 17 at 5 pm
Nashville, Tenn. (Curb Event Center)
Live Stats
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Radio: Hit Mix 88.9 FM
Media Guide (PDF)
Game Notes (PDF)

Panthers Face Off With The Bruins
Eastern Illinois women's basketball looks to get back on track as they head to Nashville to take on the Belmont Bruins in their first of two straight Music City road tilts.  The Panthers come into the music city with an overall record of 13-12 and record of 8-6 in Ohio Valley Conference Action.  Tipoff is set for 5 pm CT.

Last Game
EIU lost their second straight match at home in a 45-58 setback against UT Martin.  Despite the loss, Kira Arthofer was able to record 12 points, six assists, and five steals.  Lariah Washington scored 10 points while Julia Bengtson scored seven on 3-of-4 shooting from the field.  Miah Monahan and Morgan Litwiller both contributed with four points and four rebounds, while Abby Wahl had four points and five rebounds.  Taris Thornton recorded four points and three rebounds.

Player To Watch
Freshman Guard Julia Bengtson has been and offensive force for the Panthers this season, shooting 48.4% from the field and 36.6% from three-point range. Her 26 made three-point shots on the season rank 4th on the team.  Her 7.4 points per game rank 5th on the team overall and ranks first among the EIU freshmen, a class that has made no shortage of key contributions this season.  She has scored at least seven points in 16 out of 25 games this season, and the team is 9-6 overall and 6-3 in OVC play when she hits that mark this season.  She has hit double digits eight times this season, including a season-high 16 points in EIU's road win over Murray State on January 20.

Looking At The Bruins
Belmont is led by fifth-year head coach Bart Brooks.  The Bruins are on a six-game winning streak and are currently 16-7 overall and 12-2 in OVC play, putting them at the top of the conference standings.  Their most recent game resulted in a 70-67 road win over SEMO.  The Bruins are led in scoring by Sophomore Guard Destinee Wells, who is tied for second in the conference with 15.6 points per game.  Fellow Sophomore Guard Tuti Jones also averages double figures for Belmont with 11.9 per game.  Another Bruin Sophomore, Forward Madison Bartley, averages 11.3 points per game and a team high-tying 4.7 rebounds per game.  As a team, Belmont leads the OVC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 57 points per game, and in made three-point field goals per game, with 8.7.

Series History
Saturday will mark the 16th all-time meeting between the Panthers and the Bruins.  With EIU's 57-71 home loss to Belmont on New Year's Day, Belmont now leads the all-time series 11-4.

Up Next
The Panthers will face their second straight Music City opponent on the road, as they take on the Tennessee State Lady Tigers on Saturday, February 19.  Tipoff is scheduled for noon CT.