EASTERN ILLINOIS (0-1) vs. Nicholls (0-1)
Friday, November 7  •  7 pm 
Charleston, Ill.  •  Groniger Arena

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

GAME 2
Eastern Illinois hosts Nicholls on Friday night in the second game for both teams as part of the BBN United Tipoff Classic.  EIU opened play in the event on Tuesday night with a three point loss at Valparaiso and will play nationally ranked Kentucky next Friday to wrap up the three team round robin event.  Nicholls opened the season with their game at Kentucky on Tuesday falling to the Wildcats at Rupp Arena.  Nicholls wraps up their tournament slate next week at Valparaiso.

McMORRIS BREAKS OUT WITH A DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Terry McMorris came on last season as a freshman seeing more playing time over the final two weeks of the regular season as the Panthers won four straight games.  On Tuesday in the season opener the sophomore came off the bench to provide a key spark in the Panthers game at Valparaiso.  McMorris finished with his first career double-double setting career highs with 11 points and 11 rebounds.  McMorris was 2-of-5 from the field but made 7-of-9 from the foul line.  Last season McMorris scored a season high five points in two different games with a season high five rebounds against SIUE.  He shot 40.9 percent from the free throw line.

PRESTON TURNER IN DOUBLE FIGURES IN DEBUT
Preston Turner finished as the Panthers leading scorer in the season opener on Tuesday night as the junior college transfer scored 16 points.  Turner was 4-of-5 from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 6-of-9 from the free throw line.  He added four rebounds and two steals to his stat line for the night.  Turner began his collegiate career redshirting at Truman State in 2022-23 before playing the last two seasons at Mineral Area CC.  He earned first team All-Region honors last season with 13.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.  His first season at Mineral Area he was as second team All-Region selection with 11.3 points and 4.7 rebounds.

HOME OPENERS
Eastern Illinois opens the home season at Groniger Arena on Friday evening.  The Panthers have won their last two home openers beating Earlham College last year and Monmouth (Ill.) in 2023-24.  EIU's last season opening home win over an NCAA Division I school was Dec. 3, 2020 beating Chicago State, 78-56.  Marty Simmons is 2-2 in his previous four home openers as the Panthers head coach entering his fifth season.

UP NEXT
Tuesday - November 11, 2025 at Notre Dame (6:30 pm CT on ACC+)