EASTERN ILLINOIS (3-16, 2-6 OVC) at Southern Indiana (13-4, 7-1 OVC)
Thursday, January 22  •  5:00 pm 
Evansville, Ind.  •  Liberty Arena

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: EIU leads 5-3
LAST MEETING: @Southern Indiana 66, EIU 46 on Feb. 20, 2025
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 20
Eastern Illinois led by two points on the road last Thursday at Little Rock before a slow start to the third quarter hurt the Panthers in a low scoring road loss to the Trojans.  The loss dropped EIU to 3-16 overall, 2-6 in the OVC.  It was the third time this season EIU has been held below 50 points in a game.   The contest at Little Rock was the start of three straight conference games for the Panthers on the road.  The road trip continues on Thursday as the Panthers play at OVC co-leader Southern Indiana.  The Screaming Eagles have won four straight and are 13-4 overall, 7-1 in the OVC.  The three-game road swing concludes on Saturday afternoon at Morehead State.  

DESROCHES WITH A DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Sydney-James Desroches was one of the Panthers top two returning scorers from last season (6.7 ppg) entering the year.  She played in two of the opening three games with double figures against Indiana State before missing seven weeks with a broken wrist.  In her return on January 1 at Southeast Missouri, Desroches scored a career high 20 points.  Following that game she has turned in three double figure rebounding games and three double figure scoring games with her second career double-double last Thursday at Little Rock with 14 points, 11 rebounds.  

BENCH PRODUCTION INCREASING
Eastern Illinois has seen an increase in production off the bench over the last four games as the Panthers have had their bench outscore their opponents bench in each of the last four games.  Over those four games EIU has scored 84 points with its bench for an average of 21.0 points per game.  That is an increase from the Panthers season average of 16.9 points per game from its bench.  Over those same four games, EIU's opponents have averaged just 10.5 points per game from the bench.  On the season opponents have averaged 7.6 points per game more than the Panthers with EIU winning the bench production battle in just six games.  

PERFECT FROM THE LINE
Eastern Illinois was perfect from the line last Thursday at Little Rock as the Panthers went 10-of-10 from the stripe.  EIU improved its season free throw shooting percentage to 76.0 percent which ranks second in the OVC.  It was the fourth time this season EIU has been perfect at the line in a game.  Earlier this year EIU had a streak of 19 consecutive free throws made as a team.  The Panthers current streak stands at 14 consecutive free throws made as a team stretching back to the third quarter against Western Illinois.  EIU has six players shooting 80 percent or better from the line. 

UP NEXT
Saturday, January 24 at Morehead State (1 pm / ESPN+)