EASTERN ILLINOIS (1-13, 0-3 OVC) at UT Martin (6-6, 2-1 OVC)
Saturday, January 3  •  1:00 pm 
Martin, Tenn.  •  Elam Center

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: UTM leads 40-26
LAST MEETING: @EIU 66, UT Martin 62 on Feb. 15, 2025
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 15
Eastern Illinois continues to look for its first win of the Ohio Valley Conference season as the Panthers wrap up their first conference road weekend on Saturday at UT Martin.  EIU held a double figure lead late in the third quarter on Thursday before Southeast Missouri was able to slip by the Panthers dropping EIU to 1-13 overall, 0-3 in the OVC.  The Panthers visit a UT Martin team that knocked off Western Illinois in double overtime on Thursday to improve to 6-6 on the season, 2-1 in the OVC.  This is the first of two meetings between the schools this season with the Skyhawks making the return trip to Groniger Arena in Charleston later this month on January 29.

DESROCHES SCORES 20 IN RETURN
Sydney-James Desroches ended last season with a then career-high 18 points in the OVC Tournament loss to Western Illinois.  The redshirt junior returned this year as one of EIU's top returning scorers at 6.7 points per game.  She played in two of the first three games of the year scoring 13 points at Indiana State before missing the next seven weeks with a broken wrist.  Desroches returned to the line-up on Thursday at Southeast Missouri scoring 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting including 3-of-6 from 3-point range.  It was her 11th career double figure scoring game. 

BOMBS AWAY FROM 3-POINT RANGE
Eastern Illinois was bombs away from 3-point range on Thursday night at Southeast Missouri as the Panthers finished one 3-pointer shy of tying the school record.  EIU went 13-of-28 on Thursday night at SEMO behind a group effort of shooting as three players (Sydney-James Desroches, Clara Glad and Tiny Lewis) all knocked down three 3-pointers in the game.  It was the second time this season EIU has connected for double figure 3-pointers in a game with 11 falling in the road win at Bellarmine back in late November.  The school record for 3-pointers made is 14 accomplished two different times against San Jose State (November 2011) and against Morehead State (January 2016).

GLAD WITH OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
Transfer guard Clara Glad has helped the Panthers on both ends of the floor over the course of the season.  The junior currently leads EIU in steals with 20 adding three on Thursday at Southeast Missouri.  She has at least one steal in 13 of 14 games with multiple steals in all three OVC contests.  On the offensive end of the floor Glad reached double figures for the second consecutive game scoring a career high 17 points.  She knocked down 3-of-7 from 3-point range for her second straight game with three made 3-pointers.  She is tied for the team lead with 16 made 3-pointers.

UP NEXT
Thursday, January 8 vs. Tennessee Tech (5 pm / ESPN+)