EASTERN ILLINOIS (9-11, 5-4 OVC) at Morehead State (10-10, 6-3 OVC)
Saturday, January 24  •  11:30 am (new time due to winter weather)
Morehead, Ky.  •  Johnson Arena

GAME INFO
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: EIU leads 27-24
LAST MEETING: EIU 67, @Morehead State 62 on Feb. 22, 2025
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 21
Eastern Illinois picked up its first road win of the season on Thursday night as the Panthers rallied late behind a personal run by Zion Fruster to beat Southern Indiana.  The win moved EIU over the .500 mark in the OVC as the Panthers are now 9-11 overall, 5-4 in the OVC.  EIU has won five of its last six games as they prepare to wrap up the weekend swing at Morehead State.  The Eagles sit bunched in a four-way tie for second in the OVC early season race at 6-3 in the OVC with Thursday's win over Western Illinois improving Morehead State's overall record to 10-10.  

FRUSTER ON FIRE
Zion Fruster has been in double figures in all but one game this season for the Panthers and the senior carried the offense in Thursday's road win.  Fruster scored EIU's final 13 points of the game with his jumper with 18 seconds left in regulation forcing overtime.  He hit a 3-pointer with just over a minute left in overtime to give EIU a two possession lead and then closed the game with four free throws as part of his 25 point effort.  It was his fourth 20-point game this season as Fruster ranks ninth in the OVC in scoring at 15.7 ppg.

OVERTIME WINNER
Eastern Illinois picked up a win in overtime for the second time this season as the Panthers outscored Southern Indiana, 9-1, in the extra session on Thursday holding USI without a field goal.  Both overtime games have come in OVC action this year with the Panthers beating SIUE in one overtime back in late December.  EIU has now won three straight overtime games standing at 60-59 all-time in overtime contests including a 23-17 record in OVC overtime games.  It was EIU's first road overtime win since Dec. 5, 2020 at Green Bay.

MEECHIE CRASHING THE GLASS
Guard Meechie White often measures as one of the smaller players on the court when in the line-up for the Panthers.  On Thursday at Southern Indiana, he played as one of the larger players pulling down a team high ten rebounds.  He is the fourth different EIU player with double figure rebounds this season joining Kooper Jacobi (3), Terry McMorris (3) and Nazareth Fisher (1).  White added eight points as he came up just short on a double-double.  The junior added three steals for his 12th game with multiple steals this season. 

UP NEXT
Thursday - January 29, 2026 vs. UT Martin (7:30 pm / ESPN+)