EASTERN ILLINOIS (6-12, 2-3 OVC) vs. Little Rock (5-13, 1-4 OVC)
Saturday, Jan. 14 • 3:30 pmÂ
Charleston, Ill. • First Mid Court at Lantz Arena
NOTES: EIU Game Notes
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: Tied 1-1
LAST MEETING: @EIU 92, Little Rock 72 on Feb. 14, 1977
GAME 19
Eastern Illinois and Little Rock both enter Saturday's game looking to end Ohio Valley Conference losing skids. The Panthers have dropped three straight after opening the first week of OVC play at 2-0. EIU know stands at 6-12 overall, 2-3 in the OVC. Little Rock enters on a four-game losing streak after the Trojans won their OVC debut over UT Martin, they have lost the next four. Little Rock is 5-13 overall, 1-4 in the OVC. Little Rock is one of three new members in the OVC this season, EIU has already picked up home wins over the other two new OVC members - Lindenwood and Southern Indiana.Â
STEALS - R - US
Steals - R - Us might well be the name for some of Eastern Illinois top defenders as the Panthers currently rank first and second in the OVC in steals per game.Â
Sincere Malone added three steals to his OVC leading total as the freshman now has 36 steals this season to rank in the Top 40 in the NCAA. Malone has three or more steals in seven games this season with a high of five against St. Mary of the Woods. Teammate
Yaakema Rose Jr., is second in the OVC with 32 steals including at least one steal in seven straight games. A graduate transfer from Missouri St. Louis, Rose ranked 14th in the NCAA Division II ranks in steals last year with 68.
HODGES CONTINUES TO SCORE
Kinyon Hodges led the Panthers in scoring with 19 points on Thursday night against SIUE. It marked the tenth time this season that Hodges has led EIU in scoring in a game. He is currently 11th in the OVC in both scoring (12.8 ppg) and field goal percentage (48.3 pct) which includes a pair of 20-plus point games. Hodges has scored in double figures in 13 of 16 games this season. Entering the week he led the OVC in assist-to-turnover ratio but was held without an assist on Thursday against SIUE.
UP NEXT
Thursday - January 19 at Tennessee State ... 8 pm on ESPN+
