Eastern Illinois University (EIU), with a record of 5-11 overall and 1-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), will visit the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM), who stands at 7-10 overall and 3-3 in the OVC, on Thursday, January 16, at 7:30 p.m. The game will take place at the Elam Center in Martin, Tennessee. Historically, EIU leads the matchup against UTM with a record of 31-28, although UTM defeated EIU 76-59 during their last meeting on February 1, 2024.
The Panthers are currently in search of a victory, having lost their last three conference games after a challenging four-game homestand that concluded earlier this month. Their most recent setback came against Tennessee Tech. EIU standout player, Shelton, is making a significant contribution to the team, recently achieving his first double-double as a Panther with 20 points and 13 rebounds. He has consistently performed well this season, scoring double figures in 13 of 14 games and ranking third in the OVC in scoring with an average of 17.2 points per game.
Meanwhile, UT Martin comes off a weekend that included an overtime victory against Western Illinois but suffered a defeat to Lindenwood, placing them in a competitive mid-tier position in the OVC.
Looking ahead, EIU is set to host OVC leader Morehead State next Thursday, January 23, in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. This matchup will be a significant event for the Panthers, as it marks their seventh time hosting a game on the network at Groniger Arena, and the third instance of facing Morehead State at home on national television.
Additionally, EIU will be rescheduling a game against Little Rock, originally set for December 21, due to unforeseen circumstances. The new date for this contest is Monday, January 27, at 2 p.m. on the campus of Lindenwood.
In essence, as EIU seeks to turn around their recent fortunes, fans will look for Shelton and the team to step up in these crucial conference matchups over the upcoming week.