The Eastern Illinois men’s basketball team is set to kick off their season against the No. 25 ranked Illinois team. The game will take place in Champaign at the State Farm Center on Monday, November 6 at 7 pm. The Panthers are looking to improve upon their 9-22 record from last season under the leadership of head coach Marty Simmons. One of their notable wins from last season was an upset victory against Big Ten member Iowa. On the other hand, Illinois finished last season with a record of 20-13 and made it to the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Sincere Malone, a freshman last season, led the Ohio Valley Conference in steals with 62. His performance ranked 22nd in the NCAA for steals per game. Malone also had four or more steals in four games, with a high of five against St. Mary of the Woods. He ended the regular season with a double-double against Tennessee Tech, recording 12 points and ten rebounds. Malone was also a key contributor in rebounding, averaging 4.9 rebounds per game.
This is the second consecutive year that Eastern Illinois will open their season against a nationally ranked opponent. In the past five years, they have faced nationally ranked teams three times, including No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 7 Wisconsin. Throughout their program history, the Panthers have faced ranked opponents such as No. 15 Indiana and No. 22 Iowa. However, they have yet to secure a win against a nationally ranked team at the NCAA Division I level. Their closest upset came in December 1987 with an overtime loss against No. 20 Iowa State. Despite this, Eastern Illinois has managed to defeat Power Five opponents in the past, including Missouri, Wisconsin, and Ole Miss.
After their game against Illinois, the Panthers will face Monmouth (Ill.) on Wednesday, November 8 at 7 pm. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.