EASTERN ILLINOIS (11-19, 7-12 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (20-10, 15-4 OVC)
Saturday, March 1  •  3:40 pm 
Charleston, Ill.  •  Groniger Arena

GAME INFORMATION
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes 
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: SEMO leads 39-32
LAST MEETING: @SEMO 79, EIU 72 on Dec. 19, 2024

GAME 31
Eastern Illinois closes out the regular season on Saturday as the Panthers host Southeast Missouri for Senior Day.  EIU enters the game having won three straight following Thursday's 71-60 win over Little Rock.  EIU is 11-19 overall, 7-12 in the OVC.   The Panthers were eliminated from the OVC Tournament picture last week and will finish in ninth place in the OVC standings, just outside the tournament picture.  Southeast Missouri won the OVC regular season title outright on Thursday night with the Redhawks win at SIUE.  SEMO is now 20-10, 15-4 in the OVC.  The Redhawks won the OVC Tournament in 2023 and are looking to make a return NCAA trip.

PANTHERS BREAK SCHOOL SINGLE SEASON STEALS RECORD
• Defense has been the mantra for Eastern Illinois over the last three seasons as the Panthers led the league in steals in each of the last two years and this season rank second in the conference at 8.8 steals per game.  Two years ago EIU set the school single season record for steals finishing with 260.  Last season the Panthers challenged that record finishing the season with 258.   On Thursday night Artese Stapleton picked up a steal early in the second half to break the record as the Panthers eventually finished the night with 12 steals establishing a new school record of 264 and counting.  This season EIU has had ten games with ten or more steals with a season high of 20 against Blackburn College.  After having the individual leader in steals each of the last two seasons, this year EIU is doing it by committee with four players with 30 or more steals.  

PANTHERS TO HONOR SENIOR CLASS
Eastern Illinois will honor the seven members of its senior class on Saturday prior to the start of the final regular season game with Southeast Missouri.  Rodolfo Bolis is the lone senior in the class that has played all four of his seasons with the Panthers, one of just six players in the OVC to have played their entire career at the same school.  Bolis appeared in his 100th career game at EIU on Thursday night.  Joining him will be first year transfer players Sekou Kalle and Artese Stapleton along with two-year team members Lazar Grbovic, Carson Prost, Corey Sawyer Jr and Nakyel Shelton. 

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Season Complete