EASTERN ILLINOIS (6-10, 3-3 OVC) vs. Western Illinois (4-13, 0-6 OVC)
Tuesday, January 13  •  7:30 pm 
Charleston, Ill.  •  Groniger Arena

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: WIU leads 86-85
LAST MEETING: EIU 71, @Western Illinois 59 on Jan. 30, 2025
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes 

GAME 17
Eastern Illinois won its fourth straight game at Groniger Arena as the Panthers picked up their third Ohio Valley Conference win of the season with a 74-70 win over Tennessee State on Saturday.  The win moved EIU to 6-10 overall, 3-3 in the OVC.  It was the second of three straight home games for the Panthers as they host in-state rival Western Illinois on Tuesday night.   WIU has lost six straight entering the game at 4-13 overall, 0-6 in the OVC.   The Leathernecks are 1-8 on the road this season with the one road win standing as their last victory this season, a 69-66 overtime win at North Dakota on December 13. 

PRESTON FIRING FROM 3
Guard Preston Turner was firing from 3-point range on Saturday as the junior college transfer knocked down 4-of-5 from 3-point range to score 14 points.  It was the second straight double figure scoring game for Turner and his eighth this season.  It also marked the eighth time Turner has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in a game as he leads the Panthers with 23 made 3-pointers connecting at 43.4 percent from long range.  Turner opened the year with 16 points at Valparaiso and scored a season high 18 points against East-West Univ.

PANTHERS ON THE ASSIST
Eastern Illinois passed out 21 assists on Saturday during the 74-70 win over Tennessee State.  It marked just the second time this season that EIU has passed out 20 or more assists in a game with a high of 32 in the blowout win over East-West Univ.  The 21 assists came on 28 made field goals for a 75 percent clip on assists to field goals.  For the season EIU has 206 assists with 378 made field goals (54 pct).  Meechie White passed out seven assists in Saturday's win with Zion Fruster adding five and Kooper Jacobi four.

JACOBI REACHES REBOUNDING MILESTONE
Graduate student Kooper Jacobi reached an EIU rebounding milestone during Saturday's win over Tennessee State as he collected his 500th career rebound as a Panther.  Jacobi led the OVC in rebounding last season at 8.9 rebounds per game.  This year he is currently tied for the EIU team lead with Terry McMorris with both players tied for ninth in the league in rebounding at 5.9 per game.  In OVC only play, Jacobi has increased that production to average 7.5 rebounds per game, good for 5th in the OVC.  He has 587 career rebounds (502 at EIU).

UP NEXT
Thursday - January 15, 2026 at Little Rock (7 pm / ESPN+)