EASTERN ILLINOIS (1-12, 0-2 OVC) at Southeast Missouri (3-7, 0-2 OVC)
Thursday, January 1  •  5:00 pm 
Cape Girardeau, Mo.  •  Show Me Center

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: SEMO leads 34-26
LAST MEETING: @EIU 85, Southeast Missouri 52 on March 1, 2025
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 14
Eastern Illinois looks to tip off the new year on a high note as the Panthers travel to Southeast Missouri to begin their first Ohio Valley Conference road trip of the season.   The Panthers are 1-12 overall, 0-2 in the OVC following home losses to SIUE and Lindenwood just prior to the Holiday Break.  EIU fell to SIUE in double overtime before a loss to Lindenwood on Sunday, Dec. 21.  The 10-day gap between games will be the longest for the Panthers this season.  SEMO enters at 3-7 overall, 0-2 in the OVC.  The Redhawks will host a non-Division I opponent on Tuesday afternoon before welcoming the Panthers to the Show Me Center on Thursday night.  

LEWIS LEADS OFFENSE VS LINDENWOOD
Tiny Lewis was back in double figures in the Panthers game against Lindenwood as the senior guard finished as EIU's leading scorer in the game with 14 points.  It was the fifth double figure scoring game this season for Lewis and the 22nd of her three year EIU career.  Last season Lewis was the Panthers top player off the bench averaging 6.5 points per game after starting 29 games as a sophomore with 8.4 points per game.  She opened this year coming off the bench but joined the starting line up vs Michigan State with double figures in four of her first five starts.

GLAD BACK TO DOUBLE FIGURES
Clara Glad was held scoreless in the Panthers double overtime loss to SIUE in the OVC opener.  In the second conference game of the season the UC Davis transfer collected her fourth double figure scoring game this season with 11 points.  Glad was 3-of-5 from 3-point range marking the second time this season she has hit three 3-pointers in a game.  Earlier in December she scored a career high 16 points against North Dakota State.  Glad has also been one of EIU's top defensive players with steals in 12 of 13 games with a team high 17 steals for the year.  

FIRST QUARTER SHOOTING
Eastern Illinois got off to a good start in the opening quarter against Lindenwood shooting 55.6 percent from the field including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.  It was the fifth time this season EIU has shot 50 percent or better in the opening 10 minutes this year.  The top effort was 8-of-11 for 72.7 percent at No. 22 Michigan State.  EIU's other good first quarter starts this year have been against Drake (52.9 pct), at Purdue (60 pct) and at Illinois State (50 pct).  In its recent game at Butler, it was a strong closing quarter for the Panthers as they shot 50 percent from the field going 6-of-12 with no 3-pointers attempted (the only quarter this year for EIU with no 3's attempted). 

UP NEXT
Saturday, January 3 at UT Martin (1 pm / ESPN+)