EASTERN ILLINOIS (8-9, 2-2 OVC) vs. Western Illinois (11-6, 4-0 OVC)
Saturday, Jan. 13 • 3:30 pmÂ
Charleston, Ill. • Groniger Arena
GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: EIU leads 84-83
LAST MEETING: WIU 79, @EIU 75 on Dec. 10, 2022
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes
GAME 18
Eastern Illinois hosts the Ohio Valley Conference co-leader for the second straight game as the Panthers host Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon. EIU lost at home to Morehead State on Thursday night falling to 8-9 overall, 2-2 in the OVC. Western Illinois comes into the game as the one of the hottest teams in the OVC standing at 11-6 overall, 4-0 in the OVC. The Leathernecks have won eight straight games in their first season in the league. The game continues a long-time rivalry between the schools and partners them in the same conference for the third time in program history. Both were previous conference rivals in the IIAC and then the Mid-Continent Conference (now Summit League). EIU joined the OVC in 1996 with WIU becoming an OVC member this academic year.Â
BOOKER ON 20-POINT SCORING STREAK
Tiger Booker scored 20 points on Thursday night against Morehead State extending his streak of games with 20 or more points to three straight. The senior guard was the OVC Player of the Week last week after scoring 21 points in the road win at UT Martin and 31 points last Saturday in a win at Little Rock. Booker is shooting 54.5 percent from the floor in the last three games (24-of-44) and has hit 16 of his last 17 at the foul line. The last EIU player with four or more 20-point games in a season was Josiah Wallace with six straight during the 2019-20 season. Booker has also been instrumental in distributing the basketball ranking second in the OVC in assist-to-turnover ratio while ranking fourth in assists per game. On defense he leads the league in steals per game with 2.4 (31 total).
ALL SCORING BY STARTING FIVE
All of Eastern Illinois scoring in Thursday's game with Morehead State came from its starting five. It marked the first time since Jan. 20, 2018 against Southeast Missouri (171 games) that EIU has not had production from its bench. Prior to that 2018 game it had been nearly ten years and 277 games since the previous time EIU had not scored with its bench, that game was Jan. 15, 2009 against Eastern Kentucky. Prior to some injuries that have shortened EIU's bench, the Panthers were averaging just under 30 points per game with its bench. The Panthers are currently second in the OVC in bench points per game at 25.1.
UP NEXT
Saturday, January 20 at Lindenwood - 3:30 pm (ESPN+)
