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EASTERN ILLINOIS (13-15, 7-8 OVC) at Tennessee Tech (9-19, 4-11 OVC)
Saturday, Feb. 24  •  3:15 pm 
Cookeville, Tenn.  •  Eblen Center

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: TTU leads 31-19
LAST MEETING: @EIU 68, Tennessee Tech 59 on Jan. 25, 2024
NOTES: Complete EIU Game Notes

GAME 29
Eastern Illinois heads to Tennessee Tech on Saturday afternoon with a scenario of a win over the Golden Eagles would lock up the No. 7 seed in the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.   A loss by EIU would help Tennessee Tech's late season push towards making the OVC Tournament.   The Panthers can still clinch a spot in the end of season event in Evansville based on the results of other games or by winning either of their games next week.   EIU enters at 13-15 overall, 7-8 in the OVC as the Panthers are solidly in seventh place in the current OVC standings.  The Panthers are looking to lock up a spot in the OVC Tournament for the first time since the 2019-20 season.  Tennessee Tech is still looking to play its way into the end of year event as the Golden Eagles enter the game in ninth place in the league standings at 9-19 overall, 4-11 in the OVC. 

SAWYER SCORING STREAK
Corey Sawyer Jr entered Thursday's game at Tennessee State with the unique statistic of having 12 double figure scoring games this season but all of them coming in three game streaks (four streaks total).  That trend of only having three straight double figure scoring games seemed destined to repeat itself again against TSU until the junior college transfer put together a late scoring spurt to finish with 14 points for his fourth consecutive double figure game.  Sawyer finished the game 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 5-of-6 from the foul line.  It was his third straight game with multiple 3-pointers made with the three makes a season high.  It was the fourth time this season that Sawyer has knocked down five free throws in a game as he is shooting 74.2 percent from the foul line this year. 

HAMLIN REBOUNDING LIFT
Senior Jermaine Hamlin continues to provide a lift off the bench for the Panthers providing some size in the paint over the last four weeks.  Hamlin started the first 12 games of the season averaging 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.  He was injured prior to the final non-conference game at Iowa State and missed the next six weeks.  Hamlin eased his way back into playing time the first weekend of February and has been steady for the Panthers over the last three weeks.  On Thursday at Tennessee State he had five points and seven rebounds.  This year 40 of his 79 rebounds have been on the offensive glass with a season-high of ten rebounds.

UP NEXT
Tuesday, February 27 vs. SIUE - 7:30 pm (ESPN+)