EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-12, 1-5 OVC) at Tennessee State (6-12, 2-5 OVC)
Saturday, January 18 • 3:30 pm
Nashville, Tenn. • Gentry Center
GAME INFORMATION
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: TSU leads 37-26
LAST MEETING: @TSU 79, EIU 73 on Feb. 22, 2024
GAME 18
Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State meet on Saturday afternoon with both schools looking to build a little momentum to climb up the Ohio Valley Conference standings. Eastern Illinois lost its third straight game with the contest decided by five points or less as they lost on the road at UT Martin on Thursday night. The loss dropped EIU to 5-12 overall, 1-5 in the OVC standings. Tennessee State lost in double overtime to SIUE on Thursday falling to 6-12 overall, 2-5 in the OVC. The Tigers have three of their five OVC losses by five points or less including two losses by two points to Southern Indiana and Southeast Missouri.
STAPLETON WITH BIG OFFENSIVE GAME
Artese Stapleton finished with a team high 16 points on Thursday at UT Martin as the sixth year transfer student has scored in double figures in three of four OVC games this season missing two conference games and then being limited to just two points in another after leaving the game early due to injury. It was the second time in OVC play Stapleton has scored 16 points with the other in the win over Lindenwood. He knocked down 3-of-6 from 3-point range while pulling down a season-high six rebounds. Stapleton now has 68 career double figure scoring games including seven this season. He recently passed the 1,300 point milestone for his career and has 1,329 collegiate points.
JACOBI WITH ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Kooper Jacobi turned in another double-double on Thursday at UT Martin as the graduate student is now tied for the OVC lead with six double-doubles this season. The conference leader in both overall rebounding (9.3 rpg) and offensive rebounds (54), Jacobi pulled down 12 boards in the game at UT Martin with three of them on the offensive glass. It was his seventh double figure rebounding game this season and tenth of his EIU career. Jacobi added 11 points in the game for his 14th double figure scoring game this season as he ranks second on the EIU team in scoring at 13.4 points per game. Jacobi has just missed on double-doubles in three other games scoring in double figures with nine rebounds against Northwestern, Valparaiso and SIUE.
UP NEXT
Thursday - January 23 vs. Morehead State, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
