EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-14, 1-7 OVC) vs. Southern Indiana (8-11, 3-6 OVC)
Saturday, January 25 • 3:30 pm
Charleston, Ill. • Groniger Arena
GAME INFORMATION
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: Series Tied 3-3
LAST MEETING: EIU 81, @USI 71 on Feb. 8, 2024
GAME 20
Eastern Illinois battled until the final minute once again on Thursday night but could not get the big break it needed as the Panthers lost a 73-66 game to OVC leader Morehead State on ESPNU. The Panthers dropped to 5-14 overall, 1-7 in the OVC as they play the second of three games in a five day stretch. EIU will face Little Rock on Monday in a make-up game from the Dec. 21 postponed contest. EIU faces a Southern Indiana team that lost a close game on Thursday night at SIUE as they fell to 8-11 overall, 3-6 in the OVC.
SHELTON POURS IN 38
Nakyel Shelton had the Panthers best scoring performance in more than 20 years on Thursday night as the senior finished with a career high 38 points. Shelton scored 20 of the Panthers 26 first half points and continued to score in the second half. He finished 14-of-20 from the field including 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 5-of-5 on free throws. Shelton is now second in the OVC in scoring this season at 17.4 points per game and moved up to third in the conference in free throw percentage at 84.0 percent. It was the fourth time in Shelton's EIU career he has scored 20 or more points in a half but the first time he has cracked the 30-point mark. His previous collegiate high was 30 points during the 2021-22 season against Saint Ambrose while playing at NAIA member Cardinal Stritch. He recently went over the 1,000 career point mark at the collegiate level and now has 1,072 points including 616 at EIU. His performance marked the most points in a game for an EIU player since Josh Gomes scored 40 against UT Martin on Feb. 7, 2004.
LOW TURNOVERS FOR THE PANTHERS
Eastern Illinois committed a season low four turnovers on Thursday night in the Panthers loss to Morehead State. It marked the fourth time this season that EIU has committed single digit turnovers with a previous season low of eight in the season opener at No. 24 Illinois. The last time EIU committed five or fewer turnovers in a game was last February with four in a road loss at Morehead State. EIU is averaging 12.7 turnovers per game which is the seventh most in the OVC. EIU is third in the league in turnover margin at plus 2.26.
UP NEXT
Monday - January 27 vs. Little Rock, 2 p.m. (ESPN+) ... game played at Lindenwood (St. Charles, Mo.)
