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EASTERN ILLINOIS (10-10, 4-3 OVC) vs. Tennessee State (11-9, 4-3 OVC)
Saturday, Jan. 27  •  3:30 pm 
Charleston, Ill.  •  Groniger Arena

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: TSU leads 35-26
LAST MEETING: TSU 65, @EIU 61 on Feb. 4, 2023
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 21
Eastern Illinois picked up its first home conference win of the season as the Panthers had a gritty performance during a 68-59 win over Tennessee Tech on Thursday night.  The win improved EIU to 10-10 on the season and 4-3 in the OVC as the Panthers are in a five-way tie for third place in the conference standings as they are in the midst of four-game homestand.  One of the teams that EIU is in the log jam with is Tennessee State which comes to Groniger Arena on Saturday for its lone game of the week sporting a 11-9 record, 4-3 in the OVC.

BOLIS BIG ON THE BOARDS 
Junior Rodolfo Bolis had picked up starts in the Panthers previous two OVC games as EIU has had the injury bug plague its post position depth this season.  In those games he had foul trouble limit his minutes in both contests.  On Thursday he came off the bench and fouls were down against Tennessee Tech while production in just about every other area was up.  Bolis tied his career-high with 11 rebounds including five on the offensive glass.  He scored four points while adding two assists, two steals and two blocks playing 24 minutes.  His other double figure rebounding came during his freshman season when Bolis posted a double-double against UT Martin finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds.  This season nearly half of his rebounds have come on the offensive end of the floor with 23 offensive rebounds part of his 51 rebound total (2.7 per game).

BOOKER SECOND HALF BOOST
The second half of games seems to be coming Tiger Booker time as the senior guard put the Panthers offense on his shoulders down the stretch for the second straight game resulting in a win.   Last week in the road win at Lindenwood, Booker scored 10 of the Panthers final 14 points as he finished with 16 points (14 in the second half).  On Thursday night against Tennessee Tech he was even more potent scoring 24 of his 26 points in the second half as he now has six straight double figure scoring games in OVC play.  Booker's season-high of 31 points came at Little Rock when he scored 24 points in the second half including a 10-of-10 day at the foul line.  Against Tennessee Tech he was 8-of-10 at the foul line as Booker is 38-of-42 (90.2 pct) at the stripe in the last five games.  For the season he ranks fourth in the OVC in free throw percentage.  He tacked on three more steals to his league leading total with at least one steal in all seven conference games. 

UP NEXT
Thursday, February 1 vs. UT Martin - 7:30 pm (ESPN+)