EASTERN ILLINOIS (1-11, 0-1 OVC) vs LINDENWOOD (7-4, 0-1 OVC)
Sunday, December 21 • 1:00 pm
Charleston, Ill. • Groniger Arena
GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: EIU leads 6-1
LAST MEETING: @Lindenwood 57, EIU 55 on Feb. 1, 2025
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes
GAME 13
Eastern Illinois had its streak of seven straight wins in Ohio Valley Conference openers snapped on Thursday with a double overtime loss to SIUE. The last time EIU had lost an OVC opener was in 2017 to Murray State. EIU fell to 1-11 overall and 0-1 in the OVC with the setback. EIU now turns its attention to Lindenwood as the two teams meet for the final game prior to the Holiday Break. Lindenwood is 7-4 overall, 0-1 in the OVC as the Lions lost on Thursday to Western Illinois. Lindenwood was tabbed as the OVC preseason favorite this year.
STOLLER WITH ANOTHER 20 POINT NIGHT
Ava Stoller just missed her second career double-double playing against her former team for the first time on Thursday night. Stoller played the previous two years at SIUE with a double-double in January 2024 against Morehead State. On Thursday night against the Cougars, Stoller finished with 22 points and nine rebounds going 9-of-10 from the free throw line. It was the third 20-point game this season for Stoller who scored a career high 25 points earlier this season at Purdue. It was her second nine rebound game this season after pulling down nine rebounds against East Tennessee to go along with eight points. Stoller leads the Panthers at 13.3 points per game while ranking third in the OVC in free throw percentage (87.8 pct) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (plus 1.6).
BOUTILIER WITH DOUBLE FIGURE BOARDS
Abbie Boutilier cleared 11 rebounds on Thursday in the OVC opener against SIUE finishing with double figure rebounds for the third time this season. She had previous ten rebound games at Purdue and Illinois State. Boutilier flirted with her first career double-double scoring eight points. In addition the transfer from Texas turned away four shots to increase her OVC leading total to 25 blocked shots (2.1 per game). The school single season record is 61 blocks by Rachel Galligan in 2006. Boutilier needs 20 blocks this season to crack the EIU single season top ten.
WORKING OVERTIME
Eastern Illinois opened the OVC season on Thursday night with a double overtime loss to SIUE. It marked the second time that the Panthers have played an overtime game to open conference play winning the previous outing in 2007-08 over Tennessee Tech. It was the Panthers 29th all-time overtime game in OVC play with a 21-8 record. It was the eighth time EIU has played a multiple overtime game with the Panthers record in those contests now standing at 4-4 with the last multiple overtime game a 4-overtime win at Morehead State in February 2024.
UP NEXT
Thursday, January 1 at Southeast Missouri (5 pm / ESPN+ & Gray Media)
