EASTERN ILLINOIS (1-2) at Kentucky (2-1)
Friday, November 14  •  6 pm 
Lexington, Ky.  •  Rupp Arena

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+ / SEC+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting
LAST MEETING: n/a
NOTES: EIU Complete Notes

GAME 4
Eastern Illinois plays its final game in the BBN United Tipoff Classic on Friday evening as the Panthers play tournament host and nationally ranked Kentucky.  EIU went 1-1 in tournament games last week losing a close contest at Valparaiso before a home win over Nicholls.  The Panthers played at Notre Dame on Tuesday night leading briefly late in the first half before falling to the Irish to stand at 1-2 on the season.  Kentucky won its opening two games in the BBN United Tipoff Classic before a Tuesday night loss to nationally ranked Louisville.  Kentucky is 2-1 and ranked No. 8 in the Coaches poll and No. 9 in the AP poll.

JACOBI FINISHES WITH 20
Kooper Jacobi knocked down 4-of-8 from 3-point range on Tuesday night at Notre Dame as the graduate student finished with 20 points.  It was the third career 20-point game for Jacobi who posted a career high 22 points last season against Big East members DePaul and Butler.  Jacobi finished with three rebounds at Notre Dame.  Last season Jacobi averaged 11.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game with his rebounding total first in the OVC and 37th in the NCAA.  He posted nine double-doubles to lead the conference which ranked 52nd in the NCAA.  Jacobi has 30 career double figure scoring games and 11 career double-doubles.

SCHEDULE TESTS
Eastern Illinois faces the first of three nationally ranked opponents this week when the Panthers play at No. 8 Kentucky on Friday night.  Later this season EIU has games scheduled at current No. 1 Purdue and current No. 16 Iowa State.   It marks only the second time EIU has played three nationally ranked teams in the same season, the last 2002-03 when EIU faced No. 9 Florida, No. 13 Marquette and No. 14 Illinois.  EIU is 0-26 all-time against ranked opponents and 0-6 against Top 10 opponents.  EIU's last game against a Top 10 team was a 71-63 loss at No. 5 Kansas in November 2023.  EIU's highest ranked opponent all-time is No. 3 Illinois in November 2001.

SHORT-HANDED IN THE EARLY SEASON
Eastern Illinois dressed only nine players at Notre Dame on Tuesday as the Panthers had four players out with injury the opening week of the season and then lost the services of transfer post Nazareth Fisher for the game at Notre Dame.  EIU is currently missing JT Elder a junior college guard that started his career at San Jose State, Andre Washington a fifth year player that was at Long Island University, Kyle Layton a two-year starting guard from Tennessee Tech and Shane Sims a freshman guard from Evansville, Indiana.

UP NEXT
Wednesday - November 19, 2025 vs. Tiffin (ESPN+)