EASTERN ILLINOIS (13-14, 7-7 OVC) at Tennessee State (15-12, 8-6 OVC)
Thursday, Feb. 22 • 7:30 pm
Nashville, Tenn. • Gentry Center
GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: TSU leads 36-26
LAST MEETING: TSU 64, @EIU 60 on January 27, 2024
NOTES: EIU Game Complete Game Notes
GAME 28
Eastern Illinois won its second straight game with a 72-57 senior day win over Lindenwood. The Panthers have now won three of their last four games and are battling to make the field in this year's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Evansville. EIU is 13-14 overall, 7-7 in the OVC as the Panthers are squarely in seventh place just one game behind two teams tied for fifth place. EIU currently has a three game lead in the standings over the two teams tied for eighth place in the OVC race with four games remaining on the conference schedule. The Panthers have not made the OVC Tournament field since the 2019-20 season when they reached the second round. One of the two teams EIU trails by one game in the OVC standings is Tennessee State, the team EIU plays on Thursday to open its two-game weekend swing. TSU is 15-12 overall, 8-6 in the OVC.
DAVIS WITH ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Kyndall Davis posted his first career double-double four games ago with 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in a road win at Southern Indiana. Since that time Davis has turned into a double-double machine for the Panthers with three in the last four games and just missing on a fourth with 26 points and nine rebounds against Southeast Missouri. The 26 points was a career high and pushed Davis into averaging double figures this season for the first time. He increased that total to 10.1 points per game with 11 points on Saturday against Lindenwood. Davis is now one of four Panthers averaging double figure scoring for the season. Over the last four games the junior wing is averaging 19 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. In addition to his scoring Davis has been an asset on defense with at least one steal in 14 straight games and a team-high 20 blocked shots.
TIGER OVER 20 AGAIN
Tiger Booker was a big factor in the Panthers offense once again as the guard scored 21 points on senior night against Lindenwood. It was the eighth time this season Booker has scored 20 or more points in a game including four of those eight games with 20 points in the second half. His first 20 point game this season was in a close loss at nationally ranked Kansas. His season high was 31 points at Little Rock which helped him win OVC Player of the Week honors following that week. In early January he had a streak of three straight games with 20 or more points. He was perfect at the foul line against Lindenwood (4-of-4) as he moved back into first place in the OVC in free throw percentage at 86.9 percent. Booker's name dots the OVC top ten this season as he ranks 9th in scoring, 7th in field goal percentage, 8th in assists, 2nd in assist-to-turnover ratio, 1st in steals and 10th in minutes played.
UP NEXT
Saturday, February 24 at Tennessee Tech - 3:15 pm (ESPN+)
