EASTERN ILLINOIS (0-1) at Purdue (1-0)
Thursday, November 6  •  6 pm 
West Lafayette, Ind.  •  Mackey Arena

RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: Big Ten Plus
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: PURDUE leads 7-3
LAST MEETING: @PURDUE 89, EIU 33 on Nov. 18, 2001
NOTES: EIU Complete Notes

GAME 2
Eastern Illinois returns to action on Thursday as the Panthers travel to face Big Ten member Purdue on the road.  The Panthers lost their season opener on Monday afternoon to Drake at home losing 83-65 which snapped the Panthers 16-game home win streak (11th longest in the nation entering the season).  EIU faces a Purdue team that beat Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday for its season opener.  

ELLIS QUICK OUT OF THE GATE
Junior Lalani Ellis missed both the Panthers exhibition games this season but that didn't appear to slow the guard down as she led EIU in scoring in the season opener against Drake finishing with 14 points.   Ellis is the Panthers top returning scorer from last year at 7.7 points per game with a season high of 23 points against Western Illinois.  Ellis has now scored in double figures in the season opener in all three of her collegiate seasons with 21 points in her collegiate debut in 2023-24 against IU Indy and then 12 points last season at North Dakota.  It was the 11th career double figure game for Ellis.

TRANSFER PRODUCTION 
Eastern Illinois had good production from all four of its recent Division I transfers in the season opener with Drake with three of the four players finishing in double figures.  Ava Stoller scored 13 points with Clara Glad dropping in 11 with both players in the starting line-up.  Meioshe Mason came off the bench as the fourth double figure scorer in the game for EIU finishing with ten.  Abbie Boutilier was in the starting line-up for EIU finishing with four blocks and four rebounds.

BLOCK PARTY STARTS 
Eastern Illinois had seven blocks as a team in the season opener with Drake.  Transfer center Abbie Boutilier led the way with four blocks with Meioshe Mason collecting two.  Ella Lune picked up the final blocked shot.  EIU features one of the biggest front lines in college basketball with Boutilier (6'10"), Mason (6'4") and Olivia Thostenson (6'4").

UP NEXT
Tuesday, November 11 at Indiana State (5 pm on ESPN+)