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EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-9, 1-2 OVC) vs. SIUE (9-6, 2-2 OVC)
Tuesday, January 7  •  7:30 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: EIU leads 19-12
LAST MEETING: SIUE 68, EIU 57 on March 6, 2024 @ OVC Tournament

GAME 15
Eastern Illinois suffered its first home loss of the season on Saturday falling 75-67 to Western Illinois as the Panthers dropped to 5-9 overall, 1-2 in the OVC.  EIU now hosts SIUE on Tuesday in the third of four straight home Ohio Valley Conference games.  The four game homestand will wrap up on Thursday with EIU hosting Tennessee Tech.  The Tuesday game with SIUE is the first of two Tuesday contests with the Cougars during the OVC schedule.  SIUE won both of its home games last week as the Cougars improved to 9-6 overall, 2-2 in the OVC.

FRUSTER WITH BACK-TO-BACK 20-PLUS GAMES
Zion Fruster was lights out in the opening half against Lindenwood on Thursday as the transfer guard was 7-of-9 from the field in the opening half including 3-of-4 from 3-point range.  Fruster scored 20 of his game high 29 points in the first 20 minutes later adding four points in the overtime session.  He continued his scoring on Saturday against Western Illinois with 23 points giving him double figures in four straight games, ten overall this season.  Fruster played the last two seasons at Division II Virginia Wise where he ranked as the team's leading scorer last season.  His collegiate career high is 34 points last January against Mars Hill when he knocked down ten field goals and went 13-for-13 at the free throw line.  Fruster leads EIU in 3-point shooting this year and is one of four OVC players to have made at least one 3-pointer in each game this year.   (OVC players on current list this season - Ray'Sean Taylor, SIUE / Marko Maletic, WIU / Jaylon Johnson, TTU).  The NCAA record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer made is 91 set by EIU's Mack Smith. 

STAPLETON REACHES MILESTONE VS WIU
Artese Stapleton is the most experienced player on the Eastern Illinois roster having played in 123 career games over six seasons with time at five different schools.  On Saturday against Western Illinois he passed the 1,300 point mark for his career finishing the game with 12 points.  It was the second straight double figure scoring game for Stapleton and sixth overall this season for the sixth year guard.  He is now averaging 11 points per game with 16 points on Thursday against Lindenwood and a season high 17 earlier this year against Earlham College.  His other double figure scoring games all came against Power Conference teams in Illinois, Indiana and DePaul.

UP NEXT
Thursday - January 9 vs. Tennessee Tech, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)