EASTERN ILLINOIS (10-15, 6-8 OVC) at Western Illinois (4-21, 0-14 OVC)
Tuesday, February 10  •  7:30 pm 
Macomb, Ill.  •  Western Hall

GAME COVERAGE
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: Series Tied 86-86
LAST MEETING: @EIU 57, Western Illinois 55 on January 13, 2026
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 26
Eastern Illinois picked up a split last weekend during its Tennessee swing with the Panthers falling on Thursday at Tennessee State before a tough road win at Tennessee Tech on Saturday.  The win at TTU proved to be big as it gave the Panthers a season sweep over the Golden Eagles and moved EIU into a tie for seventh in the OVC standings with Little Rock.  EIU enters this week at 10-15 overall, 6-8 in the OVC.  The week starts on Tuesday with a trip to in-state rival Western Illinois to end a three-game road trip. WIU has struggled this year at 4-21 overall, 0-14 in the OVC.  Three of the four wins have come at Western Hall.

FRUSTER WITH ANOTHER 20 PIECE
Zion Fruster entered Saturday's game at Tennessee Tech having scored in double figures in just one of his last four games and having posted a season low four points at Tennessee State.  Fruster helped carry the Panthers to a big road win at Tennessee Tech reaching the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season with 20 points on a 7-of-14 night shooting.  Fruster helped ice the game going 4-of-4 at the foul line.  He is currently ninth in the OVC in scoring at 14.5 points per game and first in free throw shooting (85.9 percent).

FREE THROWS IN THE CLUTCH
Eastern Illinois came up with free throws in the clutch on Saturday as the Panthers went 8-for-8 at the line in the final 1:48 to pick up the road win at Tennessee Tech.  For the game EIU was 13-of-16 from the line (81.3 pct) as the Panthers are shooting 73.8 percent for the season, third best in the OVC.  EIU has three players shooting 80 percent or better from the line with Zion Fruster first in the OVC at 85.9 percent.  By comparison EIU shot 67.8 percent from the free throw line last season (ninth in the OVC).

MEECHIE SCORES AND STEALS
Guard Meechie White has been one of the Panthers top defensive guards this season leading the team with 53 steals which ranks third in the OVC at 2.1 steals per game.  On Saturday he posted his sixth straight game with multiple steals finishing with three at Tennessee Tech. He has two games this season with five steals.  White scored 11 points at Tennessee Tech for his fourth straight double figure scoring game and 11th this season.  White needs four more steals to crack the EIU single season Top Ten.

UP NEXT
Saturday - February 14, 2026 vs Little Rock (3:30 pm / ESPN+)