Start of Something Great: A Kyle Borland Coaching Legacy

[kblu54]

Hey guys, I just kicked off a new legacy. I will hopefully update it at least once a day with a few game summaries. I would like some simple html tips or online links to help make it more presentable. Any suggestions are more than welcome!

[boomosby50]

photobuckets a good tool to use

[kblu54]

Following a disappointing 10-20 season, Eastern Illinois AD Ken Baker decided to let head coach Mike Miller go.

"Miller was simply not getting the job done here at Eastern Illinois. Two disappointing seasons in a row are clearly a sign of stagnation. We are looking in a new direction."

Baker made that statement a few weeks ago, and quickly went on a nationwide coaching search. Baker interviewed several qualified candidates, but finally found the man to lead the Panthers back to prominence.

Kyle Borland, a promising 25-year old candidate, has been named the new head coach at Eastern Illinois. Borland is a recent graduate and assistant coach from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, a prominent Division III basketball program.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to coach the Panthers here at Eastern Illinois. I am inheriting a solid nucleus of players, both experienced and with lots of potential. I will implement an up-tempo game, focusing on a tough zone press defense and complimenting it with a fast-paced offensive game. Hopefully, we will be able to make some noise quickly in the Ohio Valley Conference."

Borland takes over for a program that has seen some tough times lately. The Panthers, settled in Charleston, IL (near the Illinois and Indiana border), have not had much basketball success as of late. Miller's departure left the Panthers with a 16-41 overall record the past two seasons, and the Panthers' taste of the NCAA Tournament is fading into the past. The Panthers last made the Tournament in 2001 as a 15 seed, losing to 2 seed Arizona in the 1st round, 101-76. Before that, their only other appearance was in 1992.

Borland inherits some promising players, including returning leading scorer SG Romain Martin and Freshman of the Year PG Mike Robinson. The official roster will be released once Borland establishes himself in the athletic office.

Are the Panthers heading in the right direction? Only time will tell...

[desmin123]

nice start

[kblu54]

The first Media Poll of the season was just released.

Kansas claims the top spot in the first poll of the season. Can Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Co. take the Jayhawks to the title?

North Carolina, UCLA, Tennessee and Georgetown round out the top 5.

The entire poll follows:

1) Kansas
2) North Carolina
3) UCLA
4) Tennessee
5) Georgetown
6) Memphis
7) Michigan State
8) Arkansas
9) Marquette
10) Louisville
11) Kentucky
12) Texas A&M
13) Arizona
14) Duke
15) Mississippi State
16) Pittsburgh
17) Providence
18) Stanford
19) Connecticut
20) Wisconsin
21) Illinois
22) Indiana
23) Texas
24) Syracuse
25) Clemson

On the Eastern Illinois front, Coach Borland recently released the official roster for the Panthers for this upcoming season.

Starters
C - #32 Matt Dorlack --- 6'11, 235 Freshman --- New Berlin, WI
C - #45 Ousmane Cisse --- 6'8, 250 Sophomore --- Ivory Coast, Africa
SG - #15 Julio Anthony --- 6'4, 190 Senior --- Charlotte, NC
PG - #23 Mike Robinson --- 5'11, 180 Junior --- Chicago, IL
SG - #10 Romain Martin --- 6'3, 190 Sophomore --- Minneapolis, MN

Bench
SG #14 Bobby Catchings --- 6'6, 200 Senior --- Naperville, IL
SG #13 Jon'Tee Willhite --- 6'1, 180 Senior --- Kalamazoo, MI
SF #12 Billy Parrish --- 6'4, 200 Junior --- Naperville, IL
PG #2 Tyler Laser --- 6'1, 185 Freshman --- Hillsdale, MI
C #41 Jake Byrne --- 6'8, 230 Senior --- Elsberry, MO
PF #30 Justin Brock --- 6'8, 240 Sophomore --- Fowler, IL
SG #5 Gino Myers-Kyles --- 6'4, 190 Senior --- Mobile, AL

Reserve
PF #54 Bobby Jolliff --- 6'8, 215 Sophomore --- Hartsville, IN (redshirting)

Coach Borland's Preview:

"The first thing to notice is that we are very young. Most of our best players are sophomores or younger, so we have a strong group that will be here for a few years. I am very excited about our backcourt tandem in Robinson and Martin. Both are very capable scorers and I love Robinson's passing ability. Robinson is one of those 'jack-of-all-trades' players, one who can score, rebound, pass and play outstanding defense. Martin is a pure slasher and can still hit the deep shot."

"Up front, Dorlack and Cisse are extremely young but very talented. Dorlack's potential is through the roof, and Cisse has already established himself as one of the conference's best rebounders. I expect those two to control the paint at will."

"The bench is talented but unfortunately not very deep, especially up front. Despite having great experience of 4 seniors coming off the bench, it hurts in the long run because those guys won't be around next year. Hopefully they will use that as motivation to spark a good run."

"It will be a tough year as the team learns a new system and both they and I adapt to each other. There will be growing pains but I expect the team to improve as we get deeper into our schedule. I am hoping to crack the 10-win mark and at least qualify for the OVC tournament."

Speaking of schedule, here is the Panther's opponents for the 2007-2008 season:
Note: Bold = conference game

Loyola (IL)
@ Western Illinois
@ Arkansas State
@ UW-Green Bay
Rice (Hawkeye Challenge Tourney --- 1st Round)
Tennessee Tech
Tennessee State
@ Eastern Kentucky
@ Morehead State
@ Bowling Green
Murray State
SE Missouri State
@ Austin Peay
Tennessee-Martin
Eastern Kentucky
@ Tennessee Tech
@ Tennessee State
Morehead State
@ Jacksonville State
@ Samford
Austin Peay
@ Tennessee-Martin
@ SE Missouri State
@ Murray State
Jacksonville State
Samford

[Deuce2223]

Looks good so far. I am not that familar with Eastern roster, so I am looking forward to getting to know them.

[kblu54]

Loyola (IL) @ Eastern Illinois

There were some growing pains early for the Panthers, struggling shooting from the field and giving up easy buckets on defense. Luckily for them, Loyola (IL) didn't bring much of a game anyway. Eastern Illinois went into halftime with a 28-22 halftime lead and never fell behind.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 54
Loyola (IL), 50

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 7 pts, 3 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 4 pts, 10 rebs

Coach Borland reaction following his 1st career victory:
"I am very pleased to kick off my career with a win. We played well but it was obviously they are still struggling to learn the system. We need to work on our communication on defense and work on our shooting as well. Otherwise, I am looking forward to the remainder of the season."

Eastern Illinois @ Western Illinois

EIU's flaws were severly exposed against the Leathernecks, especially on defense. Poor communication on their vaunted press led to easy layups for WIU, and the Panthers were unable to counter on the offensive end.

Final Score:
Western Illinois, 78
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 13 pts, 4 rebs
Julio Anthony, SG --- 8 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts

Eastern Illinois @ Arkansas State

Once again, EIU's press was ineffective and ASU was able to maintain a solid lead throughout the game. The lone bright spot for EIU was Romain Martin, who lead all scorers with 26 pts.

Final Score:
Arkansas State, 71
Eastern Illinois, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 26 pts, 4 rebs, 4/8 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 5 pts, 4 rebs, 7 asts

Coach Borland:
"We definately need to work on the defensive end. Those performances are not what I want EIU to play like, but I realize they are learning a whole new system. When we fall behind, we need to be able to answer on the offensive end. Simple as that."

EIU travels to Wisconsin to take on the Phoenix of UW-Green Bay before travelling to Iowa for the Hawkeye Challenge.

Current Record: 1-2
Next: EIU @ UW-Green Bay

[kblu54]

Eastern Illinois @ UW-Green Bay

Looking to overcome a 2-game losing streak, EIU travelled north to Green Bay, WI to take on the UW-Green Bay Phoenix. EIU's press did a great job limiting UWGB in the first half, but EIU was erratic on the offensive end (28% FG percentage) and couldn't hold onto the ball (10 turnovers). UWGB took a 29-21 lead into halftime. Following the break UWGB went on a 14-3 run to begin the 2nd half and never looked back. EIU big men C Matt Dorlack (Fr.) and C Ousmane Cisse (So.) had solid games in the paint, but leading scorer SG Romain Martin (So.) only managed 7 points on 1 of 8 shooting.

Final Score:
UW-Green Bay, 66
Eastern Illinois, 50

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 14 pts, 10 rebs
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 7 pts, 8 rebs

Coach Borland:
"Our defense looked strong in the first half, but we still have some things to tweak on the offensive side. I want an up-tempo style that emphasizes the fast break, but our team is still adjusting to the system and each other. Obviously, the two biggest concerns right now are shooting and ball control. When any team shoots under 30% and turns the ball over 15 times, they're probably going to lose. That's what happened to us tonight."

EIU heads to Iowa for the Hawkeye Challenge, where they await their first round opponent in Rice University. In the second matchup, Louisiana-Monroe takes on host Iowa.

Current Record: 1-3
Next Game: EIU vs Rice (Hawkeye Challenge --- 1st Round)

[boomosby50]

looks good so far. In my experience, Rice is a walkover, even though theyre C-USA

[Preo32]

thats cuz Morris Almond is gone. He was amazing on 2k7

[Superjames1992]

Good luck against the Rice Owls! This looks nice. I'll be following!!!

[kblu54]

Eastern Illinois vs. Rice (1st Round --- Hawkeye Challenge)

EIU traveled to the University of Iowa to compete in the annual Hawkeye Challenge hosted by Iowa. Their first round opponent was Rice, while Louisiana-Monroe took on Host Iowa in the second matchup. EIU's press neutralized the Rice offense, holding them to only 27% shooting and forcing 9 turnovers in the first half. EIU was solid but unspectacular in the first half, shooting 33%. Rice took a 31-27 lead into halftime. In the 2nd half, Rice went on a small run to start, and eventually led 54-39 with 12:30 left to left. But led by SG Romain Martin's 20 points (14 in the 2nd half) and a strong defensive performance in the paint, EIU crawled back and took a 62-61 lead with only 1:44 to go. Free throws were the remaining difference and EIU pulled out the comeback win.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Rice, 61

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 20 pts, 3/7 3PT
Matt Dorlack/Ousmane Cisse, C --- 21 rebs combined

Coach Borland:
"Extremely happy with the performance. Amazing resiliency in the 2nd half, and an inspired defense led us to victory. Not much more I can ask from this team. If we play like this for the rest of the season, we will reach our goals shorter than expected."

Eastern Illinois vs. Louisiana-Monroe (Final --- Hawkeye Challenge)

The final turned out to be a different story for EIU than the 1st round game. EIU's press was easily broken by the quicker ULM team, who was able to get easy buckets inside and layups off the fast break. The EIU offense played well but was unable to match the ULM intensity. ULM took a 44-31 lead into halftime, and never looked back. EIU cut the lead to as close as 10 but was unable to close the gap. ULM shot 56% from the field and only turned the ball over 4 times. EIU shot 43% but gave the ball up 12 times.

Final Score:
Louisiana-Monroe, 86
Eastern Illinois, 69

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 19 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 13 pts, 12 rebs

Coach Borland:
"ULM just ran us off the court. We were unable to even make a dent with our press, and their quickness allowed them to score before the guards had even gotten back on defense. Offense played well but our defense let us down this time. We have yet to put together a complete game. But of course, these tests allows us to properly evaluate where to make adjustments, which is important to do before conference play hits."

Current Record: 2-4
Next Game: Tennessee Tech @ EIU (OVC Opener for both teams)

[kblu54]

Tennessee Tech @ Eastern Illinois

EIU welcomed conference for Tennessee Tech to Lantz Arena for the OVC opener for both teams, looking to make a statement in the conference right from the start. Unfortunately, Tech had other plans. EIU and Tech fought hard in the first half, with 8 lead changes in the 1st half alone. C Ousmane Cisse got a putback at the buzzer and the score was tied 31-31 at halftime. In the 2nd half, both teams continued to battle for the upper hand, but a 5 minute scoring drought for EIU allowed Tech to take a solid lead and never look back. Tech hit 11 of 12 free throws down the stretch to put the game away.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 76
Eastern Illinois, 59

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 20 pts, 2 rebs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 13 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts, 5 stls

Coach Borland:
"The scoring drought made the game. We cannot go long stretches of time without scoring at least 1 point. In a close battle like this, any small advantage could make or break the game, and we gave it away. We need to be more efficient on offense. Period."

Current Record: 2-5 (0-1 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee State @ EIU (OVC game)

[kblu54]

Tennessee State @ Eastern Illinois

EIU welcomed another OVC foe to Lantz Arena, this time in the figure of 1st place Tennessee State (7-2 overall). EIU jumped on Tennessee St. early, leading 15-4 at the 15:30 mark in the 1st half. Tennessee St. crawled back and the teams traded the lead until halftime. EIU led 38-36 at the break. In the second half, Tennessee St. took an early lead and held it for nearly the entire 2nd half, leading by as much as 6. But EIU would not go down without a fight, crawling back and finally taking a 66-65 lead with 2:04 left to play. Tennessee St. could not make a shot, and EIU hit 3 of 4 free throws down the stretch to put the game away.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Tennessee State, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 21 pts, 8/9 FTs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 7 pts, 3 rebs, 7 asts

Coach Borland:
"Great comeback. Tennessee State is the best team in the OVC right now and we took it to them. I am extremely pleased with how we played down the stretch, but we need to play like that the whole game. Other than that, great win."

Current Record: 3-5 (1-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Eastern Kentucky (OVC)

[kblu54]

I recently finished the season and it didn't turn out well, but I will update the legacy a few games at a time so you guys can still follow along. I am currently in the 2nd season, which is going much better. I will still update!

[kblu54]

Eastern Illinois @ Eastern Kentucky (OVC)

Final Score:
Eastern Kentucky, 78
Eastern Illinois, 66

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 17 pts, 3/6 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 16 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 4/5 3PT

Eastern Illinois @ Morehead State (OVC)

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 74
Morehead State, 53

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 17 pts, 2 asts
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 16 pts, 10 rebs

Eastern Illinois @ Bowling Green

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 62
Bowling Green, 55

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 14 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts, 2 stls
Julio Anthony, SG --- 17 pts, 3 rebs, 3/6 3PT

Murray State @ Eastern Illinois (OVC)

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 67
Murray State, 55

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 23 pts, 4/4 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 10 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts

Coach Borland:
"Great stretch run for us. You can definately see some improvement im several facets of the game, and I am extremely pleased with our performance. We are now at .500, and hopefully we can use this as a base to keep making noise in the OVC. It's been a complete team effort, but Martin and Robinson are clearly the leaders of this team, on and off the court. We will go as far as they will take us."

Current Record: 6-6 (3-2 OVC)
Next Game: SE Missouri State @ EIU (OVC)

[kblu54]

SE Missouri State @ Eastern Illinois

Final Score:
SE Missouri State, 87
Eastern Illinois, 73

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 18 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 11 pts, 14 rebs, 2 blks

Eastern Illinois @ Austin Peay

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 59
Eastern Illinois, 56

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 17 pts, 6/11 FG
Mike Robinson, PG --- 6 rebs, 6 asts

Tennessee-Martin @ Eastern Illinois

Final Score:
Tennessee-Martin, 85
Eastern Illinois, 53

EIU Top Performers:
Julio Anthony, SG --- 14 pts, 4 rebs, 2/5 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 8 pts, 4 rebs, 5 asts

Eastern Kentucky @ Eastern Illinois

Final Score:
Eastern Kentucky, 52
Eastern Illinois, 44

EIU Top Performers:
Bobby Catchings, SG --- 12 pts, 5 rebs
Julio Anthony, SG --- 9 pts, 9 rebs, 5 stls

Eastern Illinois @ Tennessee Tech

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 73
Eastern Illinois, 64

EIU Top Performers:
Julio Anthony, SG --- 14 pts, 7 rebs
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 14 pts, 9 rebs

Coach Borland:
"I don't know to explain it. We were on an amazing high, riding a 3-game winning streak, but now, it seems we can't even pull within 10 points. Our guys are all over the board and our communication is suffering. We still can't seem to put a complete game together on a consistent basis. If the defense is working, then the offense suffers and vice versa. We need to settle back down, get back into a groove and get back in the conference race."

Current Record: 6-11 (3-7 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee State (1st place in OVC)

[kblu54]

Eastern Illinois @ Tennessee State

EIU traveled down to the Volunteer State to take on 1st place Tennessee State. Earlier in the season, EIU knocked off Tennessee State 69-65 on the strength of a late 2nd half comeback, and the question is, can the Panthers complete the improbable season sweep?

In the 1st half, it was a tough battle, but Tennessee State managed to keep the upper hand throughout the half. Tennessee State took a 34-30 lead into the halftime break. The story of the 1st half was definately the clean play but the bad shooting for both squads. EIU only turned the ball over twice but only shot 27%, while Tennessee State coughed it up 4 times but shot 31%.

In the second half, it was all EIU. EIU burst into the 2nd half with an 8-0 run and never looked back. Tennessee State shot horribly in the 2nd half, and EIU methodically built up their lead. Tennessee State cut the lead to as close as 5 but couln't make a field goal in the final 3:30.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Tennessee State, 54

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 13 pts, 7 rebs, 5 blks
Julio Anthony, SG --- 14 pts, 6 rebs, 2 stls

Coach Borland:
"This team shows signs of improvement from time and time and can still play with the big boys. Even though we're a little down now, I think we can still make a run and crash the OVC tourney party. We need to string together a few wins like this one tonight. Sweeping the 1st place team is always a goal to reach."

Current Record: 7-11 (4-7 OVC)
Next Game: Morehead State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU and first year coach Kyle Borland were unable to use their upset win over Tennessee State to fuel a run in conference play, finishing the season 2-7 to finish 9-18 (6-14 OVC).

Game Summaries:

Morehead State @ Eastern Illinois

Final Score:
Morehead State, 50
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Julio Anthony, SG --- 13 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts
Matt Dorlack, C --- 6 pts, 9 rebs

Eastern Illinois @ Jacksonville State

Final Score:
Jacksonville State, 78
Eastern Illinois, 63

EIU Top Performers:
Julio Anthony, SG --- 12 pts, 3 rebs
Matt Dorlack/Ousmane Cisse, C --- 22 rebs, 2 blks combined

Eastern Illinois @ Samford

EIU was down by 14 with 6:30 to play, but came back and took a 65-64 lead with under 15 seconds left. Samford's Warren Bree nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Samford the win.

Final Score:
Samford, 67
Eastern Illinois, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 15 pts, 2 asts
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 8 pts, 12 rebs

Austin Peay @ Eastern Illinois

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 76
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 20 pts, 3/5 3PT
Matt Dorlack/Ousmane Cisse, C --- 10 rebs each

Eastern Illinois @ Tennessee-Martin

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 79
Tennessee-Martin, 56

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin/Julio Anthony, SG --- 32 pts, 7/13 3PT combined
Matt Dorlack, C --- 12 pts, 10 rebs

Eastern Illinois @ SE Missouri State

Final Score:
SE Missouri State, 85
Eastern Illinois, 76

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 35 pts, 6/8 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 11 pts, 5 asts, 2 stls

Eastern Illinois @ Murray State

Final Score:
Murray State, 72
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 10 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 4 stls
Matt Dorlack, C --- 11 pts, 7 rebs

Jacksonville State @ Eastern Illinois

Final Score:
Jacksonville State, 73
Eastern Illinois, 66

EIU Top Performers:
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 10 pts, 17 rebs, 2 blks
Mike Robinson, PG --- 7 pts, 8 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls

Samford @ Eastern Illinois (Senior Night)

EIU recognizes seniors SG Julio Anthony, SG Bobby Catchings, SG Jon'Tee Willhite, SG Gino Myers-Kyles and C Jake Byrne.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 55
Samford, 39

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 16 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 3 stls
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 8 pts, 12 rebs

Final Regular Season Record: 9-18 (6-14 OVC)

Coach Borland Press Conference following Samford win:
"First off, I want to say thank you to the seniors for giving this program everything they had, despite having to learn a new system in only one year. I thank them for their effort and wish them the best of the luck. To reflect on the season, I am disappointed on the performance, but hopeful for next season. We have the core of the team coming back, so I am extremely excited in next year's prospectus. The team flashed signs of greatness at times but also displayed several weaknesses we need to work on in the offseason. Despite a rough first season, the future is bright here at EIU. We will achieve our goals. That is a promise I make to the EIU players, coaches, families and community."

EIU finishes last in the OVC and does not qualify for the postseason OVC tournament. Tournament details, the NCAA tournament bracket, player stats and season awards will be released soon.

[Preo32]

Tough first season. completely differennt from my current first season at Northern Colorado. Went 28-3 in the regular seaon and conf tourney. And i beat Providence in the first round, Pitt in the 2nd and now inthe Sweet 16 Vs a worse team in Miami (FL) who got lucky getting to the Sweet 16. Either way, hoping ur 2nd season is gonna go much better, as i want to end this season cuz next year my team will get a recruit i think could be a force to recon with in the NCAA, even thou my SR SG is the leading 3PT shooter and point scorer in the country. if u wanna, check it out. Coach Mosley legacy

good luck thou next year. I live in Illinois so im rooting for u to do 2

[kblu54]

yeah the 1st season was frustrating but my 2nd season is going a little better... I actually don't mind struggling to start cuz it feels more realistic... It's rare in real life when a coach comes in and a poor team dominates. Plus when I make the NCAA tournament it will feel so awesome!

I will update with tournament details, stats and player awards soon.

[kblu54]

OVC Final Regular Season Standings
Note: OVC record in ()

1) Tennessee State --- 19-8 (15-5)
2) Jacksonville State --- 16-10 (13-7)
3) Tennessee Tech --- 16-11 (12-8)
4) Austin Peay --- 14-16 (12-8)
5) Morehead State --- 12-14 (11-9)
6) Murray State --- 12-13 (10-10)
7) Eastern Kentucky --- 11-15 (9-11)
8) Samford --- 8-18 (8-12)
9) SE Missouri State --- 13-15 (7-13)
10) Tennessee-Martin --- 8-18 (7-13)
11) Eastern Illinois --- 9-18 (6-14)

OVC Tournament Results

First Round

#8 Samford, 53
#1 Tennessee State, 42

#5 Morehead State, 63
#4 Austin Peay, 60

#6 Murray State, 69
#3 Tennessee Tech, 65

#7 Eastern Kentucky, 52
#2 Jacksonville State, 40

Semifinals

#8 Samford, 54
#5 Morehead State, 51

#6 Murray State, 67
#7 Eastern Kentucky, 61

OVC Tourney Final

#6 Murray State, 77
#8 Samford, 74

EIU Year 1 Player Stats

Starters

Romain Martin, SG --- 15.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.3 apg --- 43.8 FG%, 43.6 3PT%, 90.3 FT%

Julio Anthony, SG --- 9.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.7 apg --- 41.5 FG%, 35.1 3PT%, 91.5 FT%

Mike Robinson, PG --- 8.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.8 spg --- 33.1 FG%, 22.0 3PT%, 82.0 FT%

Ousmane Cisse, C --- 7.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.2 apg --- 38.0 FG%, 59.9 FT%

Matt Dorlack, C --- 7.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.1 bpg --- 35.5 FG%, 59.9 FT%

Bench

Bobby Catchings, SG --- 4.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg --- 37.0 FG%, 35.7 3PT%, 66.7 FT%

Jake Byrne, C --- 4.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.1 apg --- 30.8 FG%, 68.7 FT%

Jon'Tee Willhite, SG --- 3.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.5 apg --- 34.2 FG%, 26.3 3PT%, 64.9 FT%

Billy Parrish, SF --- 2.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg --- 29.7 FG%, 75.0 FT%

Tyler Laser, PG --- 1.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg --- 28.0 FG%, 27.2 3PT%, 75.0 FT%

Gino Myers-Kyles, SG --- 0.8 ppg --- 35.7 FG%

Justin Brock, PF --- 0.7 ppg --- 40.0 FG%

EIU Year 1 Team Stats
Note: Conference Rank out of 11 OVC teams

PPG --- 60.9 (5th)
RPG --- 32.7 (1st)
APG --- 14.0 (7th)
SPG --- 5.6 (6th)
BPG --- 2.3 (5th)
FG% --- 37.0 (5th)
3PT% --- 32.9 (8th)
FT% --- 73.8 (1st)

[kblu54]

The NCAA has just released the NCAA Tournament bracket for this season.

East Region

#1 Michigan St.
#16 Illinois-Chicago

#8 Texas A&M
#9 Charlotte

#4 West Virginia
#13 Pacific

#5 Oregon
#12 Northwestern State

#3 North Carolina
#14 Oral Roberts

#6 Miami (FL)
#11 High Point

#7 Providence
#10 Saint Louis

#2 Louisville
#15 Albany

South Region

#1 Kentucky
#16 Florida A&M

#8 Arizona State
#9 New Mexico

#4 Stanford
#13 Florida

#5 Washington
#12 Yale

#3 Duke
#14 Iona

#6 Wisconsin
#11 Oklahoma

#7 Alabama
#10 Indiana

#2 Kansas
#15 Ohio

Midwest Region

#1 Arizona
#16 Northern Arizona

#8 Utah
#9 Temple

#4 Penn State
#13 South Alabama

#5 Villanova
#12 Chattanooga

#3 Clemson
#14 Belmont

#6 Georgetown
#11 Utah State

#7 East Carolina
#10 George Mason

#2 Tennessee
#15 Murray State

West Region

#1 Virginia
#16 Central Connecticut State

#8 LSU
#9 Western Michigan

#4 Syracuse
#13 Drexel

#5 Ohio State
#12 Creighton

#3 Memphis
#14 Pepperdine

#6 Houston
#11 Texas

#7 St. Joseph's
#10 Pittsburgh

#2 Marquette
#15 Mississippi Valley State

[kblu54]

East Region

First Round

#1 Michigan State, 68
#16 Illinois-Chicago, 61

#8 Texas A&M, 56
#9 Charlotte, 52

#4 West Virginia, 69
#13 Pacific, 55

#5 Oregon, 105
#12 Northwestern State, 66

#3 North Carolina, 77
#14 Oral Roberts, 60

#11 High Point, 84
#6 Miami(FL), 67

#7 Providence, 61
#10 Saint Louis, 42

#2 Louisville, 68
#15 Albany, 54

Second Round

#1 Michigan State, 71
#8 Texas A&M, 49

#4 West Virginia, 79
#5 Oregon, 68

#3 North Carolina, 99
#11 High Point, 61

#7 Providence, 76
#2 Louisville, 55

South Region

First Round

#1 Kentucky, 62
#16 Florida A&M, 60

#8 Arizona State, 88
#9 New Mexico, 85

#4 Stanford, 90
#13 Florida, 85

#5 Washington, 89
#12 Yale, 55

#3 Duke, 87
#14 Iona, 50

#6 Wisconsin, 80
#11 Oklahoma, 61

#7 Alabama, 54
#10 Indiana, 42

#2 Kansas, 81
#15 Ohio, 42

Second Round

#1 Kentucky, 73
#8 Arizona State, 66

#5 Washington, 81
#4 Stanford, 40

#3 Duke, 70
#6 Wisconsin, 53

#2 Kansas, 64
#7 Alabama, 46

Midwest Region

First Round

#1 Arizona, 96
#16 Northern Arizona, 66

#8 Utah, 81
#9 Temple, 65

#4 Penn State, 61
#13 South Alabama, 60

#5 Villanova, 57
#12 Chattanooga, 54

#3 Clemson, 75
#14 Belmont, 60

#6 Georgetown, 80
#11 Utah State, 70

#10 George Mason, 69
#7 East Carolina, 61

#2 Tennessee, 78
#15 Murray State, 49

Second Round

#1 Arizona, 81
#8 Utah, 65

#5 Villanova, 82
#4 Penn State, 64

#3 Clemson, 66
#6 Georgetown, 49

#2 Tennessee, 91
#10 George Mason, 63

West Region

First Round

#1 Virginia, 92
#16 Central Connecticut State, 34

#8 LSU, 80
#9 Western Michigan, 73

#4 Syracuse, 79
#13 Drexel, 77

#5 Ohio State, 66
#12 Creighton, 56

#3 Memphis, 103
#14 Pepperdine, 59

#11 Texas, 76
#6 Houston, 44

#10 Pittsburgh, 62
#7 St. Joseph's, 58

#2 Marquette, 70
#15 Mississippi Valley State, 54

Second Round

#8 LSU, 88
#1 Virginia, 81

#5 Ohio State, 72
#4 Syracuse, 56

#3 Memphis, 91
#11 Texas, 69

#10 Pittsburgh, 73
#2 Marquette, 53

[kblu54]

East Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Michigan State, 89
#4 West Virginia, 81

#3 North Carolina, 88
#7 Providence, 73

Regional Final

#1 Michigan State, 81
#3 North Carolina, 48

South Region

Sweet Sixteen

#5 Washington, 72
#1 Kentucky, 60

#2 Kansas, 77
#3 Duke, 69

Regional Final

#2 Kansas, 92
#5 Washington, 72

Midwest Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Arizona, 79
#5 Villanova, 63

#3 Clemson, 90
#2 Tennessee, 75

Regional Final

#1 Arizona, 80
#3 Clemson, 69

West Region

Sweet Sixteen

#8 LSU, 74
#5 Ohio State, 65

#10 Pittsburgh, 64
#3 Memphis, 59

Regional Final

#8 LSU, 72
#10 Pittsburgh, 61

[kblu54]

NCAA Tournament --- Final Four

National Semifinals

#8 LSU, 81
#1 Michigan State, 70

#1 Arizona, 79
#2 Kansas, 59

National Championship

#1 Arizona, 72
#8 LSU, 58

NIT --- Final Four

Semifinals

Navy, 67
UNLV, 64

UCLA, 56
California, 51

Championship

UCLA, 73
Navy, 57

National Awards

Player of the Year --- Sundiata Gaines, PG, Georgia

2K Sports Player of the Year --- Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina

Coach of the Year --- Lute Olson, Arizona

OVC Awards

Coach of the Year --- Dave Loos, Austin Peay

Player of the Year --- Mike Robinson, PG, Eastern Illinois

Freshman of the Year --- Matt Dorlack, C, Eastern Illinois

EIU All-OVC

Mike Robinson, PG (1st Team)
Romain Martin, SG (1st Team)
Julio Anthony, SG (2nd Team)
Ousmane Cisse, C (2nd Team)
Matt Dorlack, C (Freshman)

[kblu54]

Despite rough season, EIU enjoys awards
EIU Basketball News

Despite finishing last in the OVC with a 9-18 record (6-14 in the OVC), EIU is enjoying some amazing awards.

Junior PG Mike Robinson was recently named the OVC Player of the Year, after averaging 8.4 ppg, nearly 5 apg and nearly 2 spg. The conference coaches recognized Robinson as the "most complete player in the OVC", Coach of the Year receipient Dave Loos of Austin Peay stated. Robinson graciously accepted the award at the OVC's annual end-of-season meeting, thanking his teammates and his new coaching staff for putting him in position to succeed.

Also earning an award for the Panthers was freshman C Matt Dorlack, who was also recognized as the OVC Freshman of the Year. Dorlack, from New Berlin, WI, averaged 7 ppg and nearly 6 rpg in his first full season.

EIU also had 5 players earn All-OVC honors, including Robinson (1st team selection) and Dorlack (freshman team). Also earning spots on the All-OVC team was sophomore SG Romain Martin (1st team), senior SG Julio Anthony (2nd team) and sophomore C Ousmane Cisse (2nd team).

First-year EIU coach Kyle Borland was extremely pleased with the awards despite the season's record. "I am extremely proud of these men. They worked extremely hard to get here, and even though our record didn't show it, the effort they put in game in and game out was tremendous, and it shows now. The good thing to notice is that 4 out of 5 all-conference players return next year. I think we could make some noise in the OVC starting next year. The outlook is positive!"

The recruiting trail is not being kind to Coach Borland and the Panthers, but with the core of his squad returning, EIU will still be a stronger team from this year's cellar dwellers.

Recruiting news will be finalized following the 5-week recruiting period upcoming.

[rjsuperfly66]

Looking solid!!

[kblu54]

EIU makes coaching change, welcomes 8 new players
EIU Basketball News

EIU announced today that they will be making a coaching change underneath head coach Kyle Borland. Assistant Mark Bradford was released and the Panthers announced the hiring of assistant coach Dainmon Braun. Braun, a 46-year old veteran of the coaching game, comes to EIU after serving 4 years as an assistant at a Division III school.

"Mark and I disagreed on several things," head coach Kyle Borland stated following the news. "We needed to head in a new direction and bring a more positive attitude to the team atmosphere. Coach Braun is a very underrated assistant and I look forward to working with him soon."

Braun joins fellow assistant Colson Webster, who is in his second year at EIU.

On the recruiting trail, the Panthers will welcome 8 new players to the roster this upcoming season. The first year was tough on Coach Borland, as he was unable to bring in any impact players, but solidified EIU's depth. The incoming players on scholarship are:

Pat Carlisle, SG --- 1*
Naperville, IL
(unranked)

Wendell Coleman, PF --- 1*
Chicago, IL
(unranked)

Kory Page, SF --- 1*
Indianapolis, IN
(unranked)

Dale Chavis, SG --- 1*
Chicago, IL
(unranked)

"The first year was tough," Coach Borland remarked about his first recruiting class. "We couldn't establish any good connections or pipelines early and it bit us in the end. We set our goals a little too high, but we have learned from this and we will bring in better talent in the future."

EIU will also welcome 4 walk-ons, who will more than likely see more playing time than their new scholarship teammates.

Aras Prato, PF
Terre Haute, IN

Travis Brock, PF
San Jose, CA

Chas Cleveland, SF
San Luis Obispo, CA

Cherokee Fazekas, PG
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Coach Borland will announce the 2008-2009 EIU final roster following training camp. Look for EIU to improve on their 9-18 mark a year ago. They return 4 starters --- returning OVC Player of the Year PG Mike Robinson, OVC Freshman of the Year C Matt Dorlack, leading scorer SG Romain Martin (15.2 ppg) and leading rebounder C Ousmane Cisse (8.7 rpg).

Coach Borland also set aside some goals for the upcoming season:

Win 15 games
Qualify for the OVC Tournament

Can the 2nd season turn out better than the first? We here in Charleston, IL really hope so.

[Preo32]

Sundiata Gaines for POY??? Crazy. Im a Bulldogs fan, but how the hell does he win it? werird. anyway, not a great season for you, but i think the 2nd season will go a lot better

[kblu54]

EIU announces 2008-2009 roster and schedule
EIU Basketball News

Following training camp, 2nd-year head coach Kyle Borland has released the 2008-2009 roster for the EIU Panthers.

Starters

C - #32 Matt Dorlack --- 7'0, 242 --- Sophomore --- New Berlin, WI
PF - #45 Ousmane Cisse --- 6'8, 257 --- Junior --- Ivory Coast, Africa
SF - #12 Billy Parrish --- 6'4, 202 --- Senior --- Naperville, IL
PG - #23 Mike Robinson --- 5'11, 180 --- Senior --- Chicago, IL
SG - #10 Romain Martin --- 6'3, 190 --- Junior --- Minneapolis, MN

Bench

#2 Tyler Laser, PG --- 6'2, 191 --- Sophomore --- Hillsdale, MI
#30 Justin Brock, PF --- 6'8, 250 --- Junior --- Fowler, IL
#54 Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 6'8, 219 --- Sophomore --- Hartsville, IN
#42 Travis Brock, PF --- 6'10, 208 --- Freshman --- San Jose, CA
#11 Aras Prato, PF --- 6'10, 229 --- Freshman --- Terre Haute, IN
#35 Chas Cleveland, SF --- 6'7, 199 --- Freshman --- San Luis Obispo, CA
#40 Wendell Coleman, PF --- 6'9, 224 --- Freshman --- Chicago, IL

Reserves (Reshirting)

#13 Kory Page, SF --- 6'8, 212 --- Freshman --- Indianapolis, IN
#5 Cherokee Fazekas, PG --- 6'3, 182 --- Freshman --- Fort Lauderdale, FL
#8 Pat Carlisle, SG --- 6'4, 175 --- Freshman --- Naperville, IL
#6 Dale Chavis, SG --- 6'3, 175 --- Freshman --- Chicago, IL

"We have an extremely solid starting lineup," Coach Borland commented. "But beyond that, the talent runs pretty thin. Our starters will have to build their stamina because they will more than likely play at least 30 minutes per game each. Of course, we will go as far as Robinson and Martin take us. Dorlack and Cisse are solid in the paint, but we need to put points on the board, period."

EIU also released their 2008-2009 schedule.
Blue = Tournament Game
Red = OVC Conference Game

#1 Memphis (2K Sports Hoops Classic A --- 1st Round)
Santa Clara
@ Ole Miss
@ South Alabama
@ Canisius
SE Missouri State
@ Eastern Kentucky
@ San Diego State
@ LSU
Tennessee State
Morehead State
@ Samford
@ Tennessee-Martin
Eastern Kentucky
@ Tennessee State
Austin Peay
@ Morehead State
@ SE Missouri State
Jacksonville State
Tennessee Tech
@ Murray State
Samford
Tennessee-Martin
@ Tennessee Tech
Murray State
@ Jacksonville State
@ Austin Peay

EIU kicks off the season in a big way, taking on preseason #1 Memphis in the 2K Sports Hoops Classic. EIU will only see the confines of their friendly home, Lantz Arena, once until conference play. EIU will be on the road for all of their non-conference matchups except for the Santa Clara game.

Speaking of #1 Memphis, here is the preseason top 25 for the 2008-2009 season:

1) Memphis
2) Tennessee
3) Michigan State
4) Providence
5) North Carolina
6) Duke
7) Arizona
8) Connecticut
9) Stanford
10) UCLA
11) Syracuse
12) Louisville
13) Texas
14) Kentucky
15) Indiana
16) Washington
17) LSU
18) Villanova
19) Kansas
20) Texas A&M
21) Illinois
22) Alabama
23) Georgetown
24) Gonzaga
25) Oklahoma State

[kblu54]

#1 Done: EIU upsets top-ranked Memphis
EIU Basketball News

Looking to continue the program turnaround, Eastern Illinois faced a tough task to begin season 2 under head coach Kyle Borland, taking on preseason #1 Memphis in the 1st round of the 2K Sports Hoops Classic (Bracket A). Despite the huge disadvantage, EIU played tough and overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to upset the Tigers.

Memphis exerted their dominance in the first half, jumping out to a 14-2 early lead and maintaining no less than a 10-point lead throughout the entire first half. Chris Douglas-Roberts led all scorers with 10 points in the 1st half. Memphis led 37-24 at the break.

In the 2nd half, EIU slowly began to crawl back and cut into the lead on the strength of a huge performance off the bench from sophomore PG Tyler Laser, who nailed several threes. Down 60-56, EIU went on a 16-4 run in only 3 minutes and led 72-64 with only 2:30 to play. Memphis fought back hard but was unable to tie the game.

With 23 seconds left and EIU up 76-74, star PG Derrick Rose missed a runner in the lane and EIU junior C Ousmane Cisse grabbed the rebound and was immediately fouled. Cisse, who shot only about 60% from the free throw line last season, nailed both free throws to put the clinching point on the upset. Memphis made a final shot with less than a second to play, and EIU was able to inbound the ball and run out the clock.

EIU upsets #1 Memphis in the season opener for both teams, 78-76. EIU was led by two amazing bench performances in Laser and PF Bobby Jolliff. Laser led all scorers with 20 points, including shooting 5/6 from behind the arc, and dished out 6 assists. Jolliff added 10 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. The EIU starters were paced by SG Romain Martin, who netted 14 points.

Chris Douglas-Roberts led Memphis with 14 points but was 1-8 from the field in the 2nd half. Derrick Rose added 10 points on only 2-12 shooting and dished out 6 assists.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 78
#1 Memphis, 76

EIU Top Performers:
Tyler Laser, PG --- 20 pts, 6 asts, 5/6 3PT
Romain Martin, SG --- 14 pts, 1 reb

Current Record: 1-0
Next Game: Eastern Illinois vs. Hartford (2K Sports Hoops Classic A --- Final)

[Superjames1992]

That was a nice upset of the Memphis Tigers there.

[kblu54]

EIU disposes of Hartford to claim tournament title
EIU Basketball News

After upsetting #1 Memphis in the first round of the 2K Sports Hoops Classic, head coach Kyle Borland was worried for a letdown in the tournament final against Hartford.

"I know all the players were on an extreme high after the Memphis game, but we needed to stay focused. I wanted to use the upset as fuel for the rest of the season. One game at a time."

Coach Borland didn't have much to worry about, as EIU cruised past Hartford 65-40 to claim the Bracket A title. After battling early, EIU went on an 18-4 run and went into halftime with a 31-15 lead.

In the 2nd half, it was much of the same, as the EIU press neutralized the Hartford offense, holding them to 29% shooting and forcing 16 turnovers, including 3 steals by senior PG Mike Robinson. Hartford never fell within 15 points of the lead in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 65
Hartford, 40

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 22 pts, 4/9 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 10 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts, 3 stls

EIU will return home with their Bracket A championship and prepare for Santa Clara next week.

Current Record: 2-0
Next Game: Santa Clara @ Eastern Illinois

[kblu54]

Poor shooting dooms EIU
EIU Basketball News

A very poor shooting performance by the EIU Panthers leads them to a loss in their home opener this season. EIU shot only 23% for the game and had only 19 points at halftime. Santa Clara led 27-19 at halftime.

The second half was much of the same, as Santa Clara expanded their lead and never looked back. EIU leading scorer SG Romain Martin was nowhere to be found, scoring 2 points on 1-13 shooting.

Final Score:
Santa Clara, 57
Eastern Illinois, 44

EIU Top Performers:
Tyler Laser, PG --- 10 pts, 2/2 3PT
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 8 pts, 6 rebs

EIU hits the road for the first of 3 non-conference road games. They take on the Rebels of Ole Miss next.

Current Record: 2-1
Next Game: Eastern Illinois @ Ole Miss

[kblu54]

EIU defeats Ole Miss on road
EIU Basketball News

EIU led the entire game right from the tip-off and held off a tough Ole Miss team to pull out a 69-63 win in the first of three straight non-conference road matchups.

EIU led 32-31 at halftime and never let Ole Miss within 4 points of the lead in the 2nd half. Junior SG Romain Martin led all scorers with 22 points.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Ole Miss, 63

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 22 pts, 3/5 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 14 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls

Current Record: 3-1
Next Game: Eastern Illinois @ South Alabama

[kblu54]

EIU can't drown out the crowds, drop 2 on the road
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't put together two solid road games following their road win over Ole Miss, losing 79-55 to South Alabama and then 92-62 to Canisius.

The EIU press defense was picked apart by their quicker foes, getting easy buckets that EIU was unable to match on the offensive end.

Final Score:
South Alabama, 79
Eastern Illinois, 55

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 13 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts
Billy Parrish, SF --- 13 pts, 4 rebs, 11/12 FT

Final Score:
Canisius, 92
Eastern Illinois, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 12 pts, 4 rebs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 8 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts

Head coach Kyle Borland held a press conference following the Canisius to discuss his team's performance leading up to next week's OVC conference opener against SE Missouri State.

Reporter: Coach, last year we saw your team get off to a decent start and then fall apart to close the season. So far this year, we've seen a solid start but the last few games show signs of a breakdown. Where do you see this team going?

Coach Borland: I have high hopes for this team but our program's turnaround is not an overnight thing. This is a long-term project that will see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have seen improvement across the board, and it's only a matter of time before they put it all together.

Reporter: Coach, your press defense got shredded this week by two quicker teams. Do you see yourself moving away from the press?

Coach Borland: Not at all. This is our team mentality. We are going to play fast and tough. We want to get turnovers and get baskets before the other team knows what's happened. We want an up-tempo style. We want teams to adjust to us. These losses are just growing pains. The players are learning the style and it takes time.

Reporter: Coach, your team has not shot very well the past few games. How will you fix that in practice?

Coach Borland: We take tons of shots in practice everday, but it's learning to take the RIGHT shot in the game that's important. It's also hard to learn. It just takes practice, confidence and learning to flow with your teammates. Our team mentality is to shoot more than our opponent. Theoretically, the more you take, the more you make, the more points you score, the more games you win. I will just stress taking better shots, and trying to get layups off of the fast break.

Coach Borland:Thank you all for your time, but I have a plane to catch.

EIU heads home to welcome conference foe SE Missouri State to open OVC play.

Current Record: 3-3
Next Game: SE Missouri State @ Eastern Illinois (OVC opener)

[kblu54]

SE Missouri State dominates from tip, blows out EIU in OVC opener
EIU Basketball News

The struggles for EIU continue as they can't defend their home court in their OVC conference opener, losing big to SE Missouri State, 83-53. Last year, SE Missorui State scored 80+ points on the Panthers in both meetings, except the scores were much closer (87-73 and 85-76, both wins for SEMS).

SE Missouri State tore through the EIU press for easy buckets, whil EIU's shooting woes continued on the offensive end (shot 31% compared to SEMS's 48%).

Final Score:
SE Missouri State, 83
Eastern Illinois, 53

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 17 pts, 5/5 FT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 13 pts, 3 rebs

EIU hits the road for their 2nd OVC game, against Eastern Kentucky.

Current Record: 3-4 (0-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Eastern Kentucky

[kblu54]

Late comeback stalls for EIU
EIU Basketball News

EIU fell behind early and was once again playing from behind. Eastern Kentucky never let go fo the lead and led by as much as 11 in the 1st half. EKU led 32-24 at the half.

In the second half, it was much of the same as EIU couldn't seem to mount a run. Finally with 4:30 left and EKU up 57-43, EIU went on a big run. Steals led to fast break buckets and the team started to make some clutch shots, cutting the 14-point lead down to 4. EKU finally took a timeout with 1:45 left, still up 57-53.

EIU saw their comeback stall, as they worked frantically to make a dent. Unfortunately, they could not get a bucket in the final minute, and EKU was able to run out the clock.

Final Score:
Eastern Kentucky, 57
Eastern Illinois, 53

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 19 pts, 3/7 3PT
Ousmane Cisse/Matt Dorlack, C --- 25 rebs combined

EIU cannot seem to catch a break and now hits the road for their final two non-conference games that will not be easy. EIU hits southern California to take on the #24-ranked San Diego State Aztecs, and later in the week travel to Lousiana to take on the LSU Tigers. EIU is hoping to break the losing streak as the remainder of the conference schedule resumes next week.

Current Record: 3-5 (0-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ #24 San Diego State

[Deuce2223]

Tough loss. Good luck taking on San Diego State. Always nice when you can pull off a win over a Top-25 team.

[kblu54]

San Diego State pulls away in late minutes, LSU crushes EIU
EIU Basketball News

The losing woes continue for EIU, as they dropped both non-conference games this week.

First, EIU hit the sunny beaches of California to take on #24 San Diego State. EIU battled tough but couldn't get a hold of lead from SDSU, despite never being down by more than 4 points. SDSU led 34-32 at the half.

In the 2nd half, EIU still stayed within striking distance but couldn't get a clutch shot to take the lead. In the final 2 minutes, SDSU finally broke the battle, going on an 8-0 run to bust the lead wide open. EIU's final push was too little, too late as SDSU prevailed, 65-55.

In EIU's 2nd road game, they hit Louisiana to take on the tough LSU Tigers. Defense was the name of the game for LSU, as they hounded EIU on the offensive end. EIU couldn't break the grip, forcing up poor shots and turning the ball over. EIU only shot 24% and committed 18 turnovers.

Final Score:
#24 San Diego State, 65
Eastern Illinois, 55

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 13 pts, 2 stls
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 12 pts, 7 rebs

Final Score:
LSU, 72
Eastern Illinois, 39

EIU Top Performers:
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 10 pts, 7 rebs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 5 asts, 3 stls

EIU finishes their non-conference schedule and will re-open conference play at home against the defending regular season champs in Tennessee State. EIU swept Tennessee State last year despite finishing last in the OVC. This could be the game EIU has been looking for to break their current 6-game losing streak.

Coach Borland, following the LSU loss:
"It's been a tough road trip for us. San Diego State and LSU are two very tough teams that knew how to play us. SDSU made the shots they needed and exerted the fuel they had left in the tank, whereas we were giving our all to pull the upset and had nothing left in crunch time. LSU just shut us down offensively. Nothing else to say there. Now we need to get it together because conference play is where we need to focus. Those are the games that count. We need to win these conference games, especially since we're already at 0-2. We've played and beaten Tennessee State twice. We can do it again."

Current Record: 3-7 (0-2 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee State @ EIU

[Preo32]

Ouch. 2 tough losses

[kblu54]

EIU breaks losing skid, gets 1st conference win
EIU Basketball News

Seniors PG Mike Robinson and SF Billy Parrish took it upon themselves to break EIU's 6-game losing streak, both having big games as EIU defeated Tennessee State for the 3rd straight meeting between them. Last year, EIU swept the eventual regular season champs and once again, showed their surprising dominance over the perennial conference contenders.

EIU got off to a hot start, leading 14-4 at the first substitution mark with 16:05 left in the first half. Tennessee State managed to cut the lead, but EIU played strong and took a 33-26 lead into halftime.

In the 2nd half, Tennessee State cut into the lead more, but a huge run by EIU, sparked by Robinson's steal and layup, pushed the lead to 8 and EIU never looked back. Free throws made up the remaining difference, and EIU pulled out conference win #1 on the year.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 62
Tennessee State, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Billy Parrish, SF --- 16 pts, 13 rebs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 11 pts, 6 asts, 2 stls

EIU hopes to keep the new momentum going, as they stay at home to welcome Morehead State.

Current Record: 4-7 (1-2 OVC)
Next Game: Morehead State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU drops 2 games despite Martin's great play
EIU Basketball News

SG Romain Martin put together two solid games, but his teammates couldn't provide the help he needed as EIU dropped 2 games this week.

EIU welcomed Morehead State to Lantz Arena, but faltered late in a tough battle. The game featured 20 lead changes, but it was Morehead State who gained the upper hand in the end, going on a short 6-0 run with less than two minutes to play to give themselves some breathing room.

EIU then hit the road to take on Samford and their slow-down offense. Samford's style clashed with EIU's up-tempo style, and the crowd was a big factor. EIU shot only 26% as Samford worked the clock on the Panthers for the win.

Final Score:
Morehead State, 56
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 19 pts, 3/8 3PT
Billy Parrish, SF --- 5 pts, 7 rebs

Final Score:
Samford, 55
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 20 pts, 4/8 3PT
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 10 pts, 12 rebs

EIU stays on the road and takes on Tennessee-Martin next.

Current Record: 4-9 (1-4 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee-Martin

[kblu54]

EIU wins on the road
EIU Basketball News

EIU put together a solid game on both ends of the court en route to a 66-56 conference victory over Tennessee-Martin. EIU, which has not gotten off to a good start in conference play, shot well on offense and played well on defense.

EIU led 34-23 at the half and didn't allow Tennessee-Martin within 8 points of the lead in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Tennessee-Martin, 56

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 12 pts, 7 asts
Matt Dorlack, C --- 18 pts, 11 rebs

EIU travels home to welcome Eastern Kentucky to Lantz Arena. In their previous meeting earlier this year, EIU came back from a 14-point deficit to cut the lead to 4, but was unable to make a shot in the final minutes and lost 57-53. EIU is looking for redemption at home as they look for their first 2-game winning streak since the season began.

Current Record: 5-9 (2-4 OVC)
Next Game: Eastern Kentucky @ EIU

[kblu54]

Dorlack out as EIU drops 2
EIU Basketball News

EIU will be without their starting center for a few weeks, as C Matt Dorlack went down with an injury this week. Dorlack suffered a strained achilles and will be out for 23 days. Dorlack played in EIU's loss to Eastern Kentucky, and suffered his injury late in EIU's loss to Tennessee State.

In the first game this week, EIU welcomed Eastern Kentucky to Lantz Arena but suffered a similar fate they had in the first meeting between both teams. EKU jumped out to and early lead and led 31-23 at the half. In the 2nd half, EKU's lead grew to as large as 12 before EIU mounted a huge comeback. Unfortunately, their comeback stalled once again as EKU outscored the Panthers 8-2 down the stretch.

In the 2nd game, EIU traveled south to take on Tennessee State. EIU beat TSU in their first meeting to earn their first conference victory of the year, but this time around wasn't going to be the same. EIU shot less than 20% for the entire 1st half and only 28% for the game. Dorlack had a solid game but went out with 7:30 left and EIU down by 6. Tennessee State took advantage of the hole in the middle and built their lead to knock off the Panthers.

Final Score:
Eastern Kentucky, 63
Eastern Illinois, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 19 pts, 4/10 3PT
Billy Parrish, SF --- 14 pts, 6 rebs

Final Score:
Tennessee State, 50
Eastern Illinois, 35

EIU Top Performers:
Billy Parrish, SF --- 6 pts, 7 rebs
Matt Dorlack, C --- 9 rebs, 3 stls

EIU returns home to take on Austin Peay. Austin Peay swept EIU last year.

Current Record: 5-11 (2-6 OVC)
Next Game: Austin Peay @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU loses at home, gets revenge on the road
EIU Basketball News

EIU went 1-1 this week without starting center Matt Dorlack, losing to Austin Peay at home before getting revenge on the road at Morehead State.

In the 1st game, EIU welcomed Austin Peay to Lantz Arena, but the home crowd couldn't shake Austin Peay out of their early groove. EIU's leading scorer Romain Martin was ineffective, notching only 6 pts on 2/14 shooting. Austin Peay never trailed and led by as much as 16.

In the 2nd game, EIU hit the road to take on Morehead State, who beat EIU at home 56-46 earlier in the season. But this time around, Martin stepped up following a disappointing performance and led all scorers with 26 points. EIU's up-tempo game looked solid, as EIU scored 25 points off the fast break.

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 62
Eastern Illinois, 47

EIU Top Performers:
Billy Parrish, SF --- 13 pts, 4 rebs
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 14 rebs, 2 blks

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 74
Morehead State, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 26 pts, 3 rebs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 8 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls

EIU stays on the road to take on SE Missouri State, who is fighting for the OVc regular season title. SEMS blew out Eastern Illinois at Lantz Arena 83-53 in their previous meeting.

Current Record: 6-12 (3-7 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ SE Missouri State

[kblu54]

Can EIU crash OVC party?
EIU Basketball News

As we have reached the halfway point in OVC conference play, Eastern Illinois and 2nd-year coach Kyle Borland finds themselves in a similar and unnerving position: near the bottom of the standings and at risk of missing the OVC postseason tournament for yet another year. In an interview with Coach Borland, he discusses his team's play and what they need to do to break into the OVC tourney.

Reporter: Coach, your team currently sits at 3-7 in OVC play, which qualifies for 9th in the conference standings. At your current pace, you would need a good amount of upsets to qualify for the OVC tourney. What does your team need to do to accomplish that goal?

Coach Borland: Well, our biggest problem this year which also affected us last year is consistency. One game we play extremely well and pull off a win, but then drop the next two games. We can't seem to play the same game day in and day out. We need to string together a few good games down the stretch.

Reporter: Coach, your starting center went down with an injury last week and isn't expected to come back for at least another week. How has his absence affected the team?

Coach Borland: Dorlack is a big piece of our puzzle and he's our big guy in the middle. Without him, we instantly become a smaller team. Instead of being able to lean on our post play, we instead need to shift our focus to our perimeter play. That's why we need our leaders in Romain Martin and Mike Robinson to step up.

Reporter: Coach, Martin turned in two completely opposite performances this week. How do you approach his play in practice?

Coach Borland: Romain knows he's the guy we turn to when we need points. He knows he needs to step up on a more consistent basis but we are not a one-man team. Everybody on our team needs to play their role hard every night. If anybody has an off day, it affects all of us.

Reporter: Coach, your conference schedule does not let up to end the season, facing several teams you haven't seen or that have already beaten you. How do you handle the intimidation factor?

Coach Borland: I don't really see intimidation as a factor. It's a matter of playing our game, our way, every day. We know we can beat any team on any night. It's just a matter of staying consistent.

Reporter: Coach, thanks for your time.

EIU looks to stay consistent, as they need at least 5 wins out of their last 10 games to qualify for the OVC tourney. Here is the Panthers' remaining schedule:

Blue = Home Game

@ SE Missouri State
Jacksonville State
Tennessee Tech
@ Murray State
Samford
Tennessee-Martin
@ Tennessee Tech
Murray State
@ Jacksonville State
@ Austin Peay

[Deuce2223]

Good luck we are all cheering for you. Hopefully the home crowd can get behind you and help you pull out some big wins.

[kblu54]

EIU strings togther 2 wins, pushes streak to 3
EIU Basketball News

EIU quest for the OVC tourney looked a little brighter this week after the Panthers pulled off 2 wins to push their current winning streak to 3.

In the first game, EIU traveled south to take on SE Missouri State, who crushed the Panthers by 30 in their first meeting. This time around, it was the EIU defense that held the upper hand. EIU's press forced SEMS out of their rhythm, as they shot only 24% and turned the ball over 16 times. C Ousmane Cisse led the defensive charge for EIU, controlling the paint with 18 rebounds, while PG Mike Robinson added 4 steals. EIU never trailed and led by as much as 10.

In the 2nd game, EIU returned home to take on visiting Jacksonville State, who finished 2nd in the OVC last year but were near the cellar this year. EIU jumped out to an early lead and held off a furious JSU comeback to pull out the win. EIU was led by their guard play as SG Romain Martin led all scorers with 19 points and "Jack-of-All-Trades" Robinson filled his box score. EIU led by 15 late in the 2nd half, but JSU went on a 12-3 run to close out the game, which still wasn't enough.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 57
SE Missouri State, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 20 pts, 3 asts, 4 stls
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 9 pts, 18 rebs

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 65
Jacksonville State, 59

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 19 pts, 2 asts
Mike Robinson, PG --- 10 pts, 4 rebs, 7 asts, 5 stls

EIU stays at home to welcome Tennessee Tech. EIU and Tech have not yet met this season, but Tech swept the Panthers last season.

Current Record: 8-12 (5-7 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee Tech @ EIU

[kblu54]

Winning streak halted for EIU as they lose 2
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't ride the hot streak for long, halting their win streak at 3 and dropping 2 games this week to put their OVC tourney hopes back into doubt. Injured center Matt Dorlack returned in EIU's 2nd game this week and turned in a solid performance.

EIU first welcomed Tennessee Tech to Lantz Arena. Last year, Tech swept the Panthers and was looking to do the same. A very tough battle went down to the wire, but Mike Robinson's miss of a wide open three allowed Tech to put the game away at the free throw stripe. Tech nailed all 8 FT's down the stretch to pull out the win.

In the 2nd game, EIU hit the road to take on Murray State. A fierce, low-scoring battle saw great play in the paint but poor shooting from beyond the arc. The final minute featured 4 lead changes, but the upper hand fell to MSU. Murray State led 40-39 as the 1-minute mark passed, but EIU got a big bucket inside from the returning Dorlack. Murray State quickly responded with a putback to go up 42-41 and EIU took a timeout with 38 seconds to go. EIU ran down the clock and took the lead with 14 seconds left off of a Billy Parrish putback, but it was Murray State who had the last laugh, as they nailed a three at the buzzer to survive.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 74
Eastern Illinois, 67

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 20 pts, 2/4 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 8 pts, 8 rebs, 6 asts

Final Score:
Murray State, 45
Eastern Illinois, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 16 rebs
Matt Dorlack, C --- 8 pts, 11 rebs, 3 blks

EIU returns home to take on Samford. Samford beat the Panthers 55-48 in their last meeting. EIU needs to string a few wins together if they hope to qualify for the OVC tourney.

Current Record: 8-14 (5-9 OVC)
Next Game: Samford @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU stays alive with win over Samford
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois stayed alive in their quest for the OVC tournament, beating Samford 75-50 in front of their loyal fans at Lantz Arena. Leading scorer SG Romain Martin was hot from beyond the arc, while PG Mike Robinson filled the box score once again.

EIU still needs a few wins to guarantee a spot, but this win puts them in position to do so.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 75
Samford, 50

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 18 pts, 5/6 3PT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 11 pts, 9 rebs, 5 asts, 2 stls

Coach Borland refused an interview following the game, just remarking that EIU needed to take their last 5 games "one game at a time". EIU stays at home to welcome Tennessee-Martin. The Panthers beat Tennessee-Martin 66-56 on the road in their last meeting.

Current Record: 9-14 (6-9 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee-Martin @ EIU

[kblu54]

Two losses puts EIU's tourney chances in jeopardy
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois dropped 2 games this week, putting their tournament hopes back into jeopardy with only 3 games left to play. EIU fell at home to Tennessee-Martin and then dropped a game at Tennessee Tech.

Final Score:
Tennessee-Martin, 67
Eastern Illinois, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 16 pts, 4 rebs
Mike Robinson, PG --- 11 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 78
Eastern Illinois, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 20 pts, 3/5 3PT
Billy Parrish, SF --- 16 pts, 4 rebs

The Panthers need to win out to clinch a spot in the OVC tournament, which only qualifies the top 8 teams in the regular season standings. EIU welcomes Murray State to Lantz Arena this week. MSU beat the Panthers on a buzzer beater in their previous meeting.

Current Record: 9-16 (6-11 OVC)
Next Game: Murray State @ EIU

[Deuce2223]

Good luck. You have had some tough games and very close games. Your record could easily be flipped to 16-9 with a few shots falling here and there.

[kblu54]

EIU steals first needed win on Senior Night
EIU Basketball News

EIU grabbed a much-needed win this week, avenging an earlier loss by blowing out Murray State 87-65 at home. The Panthers shot 48% (compared to MSU's 35%) and led 48-32 at the half.

Before the game, EIU honored seniors PG Mike Robinson and SF Billy Parrish. Robinson, who was named the OVC Player of the Year last season, has been the Panthers' leader for 4 years. Parrish, who only became a starter this season, has been a great contributor.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 87
Murray State, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 28 pts, 9/9 FT
Mike Robinson, PG --- 17 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts

EIU still needs to win out to qualify for the tourney, but this win puts them closer. They will finish out the regular season on the road, taking on Jacksonville State and then Austin Peay. EIU beat JSU 65-59 earlier but lost to Austin Peay 62-47 at home in their previous meeting.

Current Record: 10-16 (7-11 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Jacksonville State

[CincyFan]

I believe you will be able to pull out the two wins you need. Only question mark is can your team handle the hostile crowd at Austin Peay in the final game. If you can win against Jacksonville State maybe that momentum can carry into the final game and then the tourney.

[kblu54]

EIU holds on for second needed win
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois held off a vicious Jacksonville State comeback to get their 2nd straight win, putting them one win away from the OVC tournament. EIU led by as much as 18 but allowed JSU to crawl back into the game. EIU led 61-56 with under a minute to play, but solid defense forced JSU to take poor shots, allowing EIU to burn the clock. JSU made a three at the buzzer for the final total, but it did not alter the outcome.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 61
Jacksonville State, 59

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 19 pts, 3/5 3PT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 10 pts, 14 rebs, 2 blks

EIU earns their first sweep of the season, and can now look forward to their regular season finale. The Panthers travel to Austin Peay, looking to avenge a 15-point loss and clinch a spot in the OVC tourney. EIU is currently tied for 8th with 2 other teams (Murray State and Samford) and is only 1 game behind Tennessee Tech, who has already swept EIU and holds the tiebreaker.

EIU needs to win to get it, but they can also climb up into the 6th spot. EIU has a better overall record than Samford, so if they would end up tied at 9-11 in the OVC, EIU would earn the 7th spot. Also, if Murray State loses, EIU could earn the 6th seed. But most importantly, EIU needs to beat a tough Austin Peay team, who is currently 11-8 in the OVC and is looking to clinch the 3rd seed.

Current Record: 11-16 (8-11 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Austin Peay

[CincyFan]

and now the game everyone is waiting for to hear...

[kblu54]

Mission Accomplished: Win puts EIU into OVC tourney
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois accomplished a big goal in head coach Kyle Borland's 2nd season, qualifying for the OVC postseason tournament by upsetting Austin Peay 81-62 on the road.

EIU came into the regular season finale looking for revenge, after losing by 15 to Austin Peay earlier in the season. This time around, the Panthers wasted no time in gaining the upper hand, shooting a scorching 85% through the first 10 minutes to lead 34-12. EIU's hot streak cooled down a bit, but the Panthers took a huge 46-22 lead into the half.

In the 2nd half, EIU didn't let up, running away with the upset on the strength of 45 total fast break points (28 in the 2nd half). Senior PG Mike Robinson led all scorers with 28 points as EIU clinched their spot.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 81
Austin Peay, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Mike Robinson, PG --- 28 pts, 4 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls
Romain Martin, SG --- 15 pts, 4 asts

The final OVC Standings see the Panthers finish tied for 5th at 9-11, but tiebreakers put them officially at 7th place. Eastern Kentucky wins the OVC regular season title.

OVC Final Standings
1) Eastern Kentucky --- 21-5 (18-2 OVC)
2) SE Missouri State --- 15-10 (13-7)
3) Tennessee State --- 17-12 (11-9)
4) Austin Peay --- 12-13 (11-9)
5) Murray State --- 15-13 (9-11)
6) Tennessee Tech --- 13-14 (9-11)
7) Eastern Illinois --- 12-16 (9-11)
8) Samford --- 11-16 (9-11)
9) Tennessee-Martin --- 11-15 (8-12)
10) Morehead State --- 10-16 (8-12)
11) Jacksonville State --- 5-21 (5-15)

EIU earns the 7th seed in the OVC tourney and will play #2 seed SE Missouri State in the 1st round. The OVC tourney matchups are as follows:

First Round --- OVC Tournament

#1 Eastern Kentucky
#8 Samford

#4 Austin Peay
#5 Murray State

#3 Tennessee State
#6 Tennessee Tech

#2 SE Missouri State
#7 Eastern Illinois

Coach Borland, following Austin Peay victory:
"I'm extremely proud of this team. We knew was position we were in and what we had to do to reach the tournament, and we persevered in the face of adversity. We had our backs against the wall and responded with 3 huge victories in a row. I couldn't ask for a better performance. Now, hopefully we can use this as fuel to make a surprise run in the tournament. It will be an interesting week of practice."

The Panthers split the season series with SE Missouri State. In the first meeting at Lantz Arena, EIU was blown out by 30 points, but got revenge on the road a few weeks ago by a score of 57-48.

Current Record: 12-16 (9-11 OVC)
Next Game: #7 EIU vs. #2 SE Missouri State (OVC Tournament --- 1st Round)

[Deuce2223]

Very nice in making the tourney.

So i wonder do you have plans on staying at Eastern Illinois or are you already looking for that next team??

[kblu54]

I'm thinking I might stay. I have most of my team coming back for next year (including Martin, Cisse and Dorlack - all starters) plus my recruiting is going extremely well. I can't see after only going 21-34 in two years that a better job will be available. I will update on recruiting plus the results of the OVC tourney tonight.

[kblu54]

EIU can't hold halftime lead, loses in first round
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois was riding a big 3-game winning streak entering the first round of the OVC tournament, but their hopes for more were dashed quickly, as #2 seed SE Missouri State overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to move on, 70-67.

EIU dominated the first half, shooting 52% en route to a 38-25 halftime lead. Unfortunately, a 7-minute drought allowed SEMS to crawl back into the game and eventually take a 65-64 lead with 3:30 left to play. EIU shot only 1-8 to finish the game as SEMS held on.

Final Score:
#2 SE Missouri State, 70
#7 Eastern Illinois, 67

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 24 pts, 4 rebs
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 9 pts, 12 rebs, 2 blks

The Panthers finish 12-17 under 2nd-year head coach Kyle Borland. The OVC Tournament results are as follows:

First Round

#8 Samford, 51
#1 Eastern Kentucky, 44

#4 Austin Peay, 62
#5 Murray State, 58

#6 Tennessee Tech, 66
#3 Tennessee State, 62

#2 SE Missouri State, 70
#7 Eastern Illinois, 67

Semifinals

#8 Samford, 50
#4 Austin Peay, 44

#6 Tennessee Tech, 71
#2 SE Missouri State, 52

OVC Tournament Final

#8 Samford, 54
#6 Tennessee Tech, 50

An end of the season interview with Coach Borland, recruiting information and the NCAA tournament will be displayed tomorrow.

[Deuce2223]

Tough losss. Looking forward to see what opens up and what you decide.

[kblu54]

2008-2009 EIU Individual & Team Stats
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois finished the season 12-17 following a first round loss to SE Missouri State, getting 3 more wins than the year before.

Individual Stats --- Starters

Matt Dorlack, C (Soph.) --- 6.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.4 bpg --- 32.2 FG%, 60.2 FT%

Ousmane Cisse, C (Junior) --- 6.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 0.9 bpg --- 33.6 FG%, 51.4 FT%

Billy Parrish, SF (Senior) --- 7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.3 apg --- 33.0 FG%, 87.5 FT%

Mike Robinson, PG (Senior) --- 9.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.4 spg --- 36.2 FG%, 28.7 3PT%, 80.2 FT%

Romain Martin, SG (Junior) --- 15.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.2 apg --- 37.9 FG%, 35.4 3PT%, 94.3 FT%

Individual Stats --- Bench

Tyler Laser, PG (Soph.) --- 5.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.4 apg --- 40.0 FG%, 39.3 3PT%, 76.7 FT%

Justin Brock, PF (Junior) --- 3.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg --- 29.8 FG%, 70.7 FT%

Bobby Jolliff, PF (Soph.) --- 3.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg --- 36.6 FG%, 78.2 FT%

Travis Brock, PF (Frosh) --- 1.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg --- 24.3 FG%, 52.6 FT%

Chas Cleveland, SF (Frosh) --- 2.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg --- 40.5 FG%, 75.0% 3PT%, 71.4 FT%

Aras Prato, PF (Frosh) --- 1.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg --- 33.3 FG%, 50.0 FT%

Team Stats
Note: OVC rank in ()

PPG --- 59.3 (5th)
RPG --- 35.2 (1st)
APG --- 14.3 (5th)
SPG --- 5.4 (5th)
BPG --- 3.3 (3rd)
FG% --- 35.0% (9th)
3PT% --- 31.5% (10th)
FT% --- 74.5% (1st)

On the recruiting front, Coach Borland has developed a solid base and is currently focusing on two big names.

D'or Dupre, PG

Dupre is a 4* recruit out of Roanoke, VA. He is currently ranked #83 overall and is the #12 point guard in the upcoming class. The Panthers coaching staff is working hard to get him, and they are extremely pleased to find out that one of his priorities is not playing at a big program. Coach Borland sees Dupre as an excellent replacement for graduating PG Mike Robinson and more. Dupre has great talent and his potential is through the roof.

Rod Bobik, SF

Bobik is a 3* recruit out of Louisville, KY. Bobik has EIU as #1 on his list by far and will probably accept his scholarship as soon as the NCAA tournament is complete. Bobik is a solid rebounder for a small forward and knows how to score.

Coach Borland has 3 scholarships to give out, but he currently has only offered these two. Coach Borland is currently searching for a SG, as leading scorer Romain Martin led the nation in MPG and will be a senior next season.

The NCAA Tournament will be announced later today, including an end-of-season interview with Coach Borland as he looks forward to year 3.

[kblu54]

East Region

First Round

#1 Duke, 81
#16 Samford, 29

#9 Rhode Island, 73
#8 Georgia, 63

#13 George Mason, 53
#4 Tennessee, 52

#5 Connecticut, 91
#12 Loyola (MD), 45

#3 Stanford, 81
#14 Boston University, 57

#6 LSU, 53
#11 Notre Dame, 51

#7 UNLV, 76
#10 UAB, 67

#2 UCLA, 53
#15 Wright State, 45

Second Round

#1 Duke, 95
#9 Rhode Island, 44

#5 Connecticut, 75
#13 George Mason, 53

#3 Stanford, 70
#6 LSU, 61

#7 UNLV, 91
#2 UCLA, 71

South Region

First Round

#1 Michigan State, 86
#16 Navy, 61

#9 Cincinnati, 63
#8 N.C. State, 53

#4 Florida, 67
#13 Texas-San Antonio, 53

#5 San Diego State, 81
#12 Florida Atlantic, 78

#3 Texas, 76
#14 Florida State, 71

#6 Georgetown, 63
#11 Wyoming, 56

#7 Boston College, 68
#10 Texas Tech, 53

#15 Gardner-Webb, 62
#2 Miami (FL), 59

Second Round

#9 Cincinnati, 70
#1 Michigan State, 66

#4 Florida, 83
#5 San Diego State, 66

#3 Texas, 75
#6 Georgetown, 65

#7 Boston College, 73
#15 Gardner-Webb, 55

Midwest Region

First Round

#1 Alabama, 64
#16 North Dakota State, 61

#9 Saint Louis, 76
#8 Seton Hall, 54

#4 Arizona, 88
#13 Southern, 76

#5 Auburn, 66
#12 Illinois State, 64

#3 Illinois, 71
#14 High Point, 52

#6 Oklahoma State, 67
#11 Pacific, 59

#7 Texas A&M, 76
#10 Utah State, 57

#2 Providence, 61
#15 St. Mary's, 41

Second Round

#9 Saint Louis, 68
#1 Alabama, 60

#4 Arizona, 98
#5 Auburn, 74

#3 Illinois, 76
#6 Oklahoma State, 70

#2 Providence, 72
#7 Texas A&M, 63

West Region

First Round

#1 Louisville, 81
#16 Northern Colorado, 42

#9 Wake Forest, 65
#8 Missouri, 59

#4 Western Michigan, 71
#13 Columbia, 70

#5 Georgia Tech, 72
#12 Louisiana Tech, 69

#3 Villanova, 84
#14 College of Charleston, 70

#6 USC, 72
#11 Memphis, 60

#7 West Virginia, 70
#10 Oregon State, 64

#2 Washington, 63
#15 Coppin State, 61

Second Round

#1 Louisville, 79
#9 Wake Forest, 63

#5 Georgia Tech, 81
#4 Western Michigan, 69

#6 USC, 81
#3 Villanova, 76

#7 West Virginia, 71
#2 Washington, 61

[kblu54]

East Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Duke, 68
#5 Connecticut, 59

#3 Stanford, 71
#7 UNLV, 53

Regional Final

#1 Duke, 76
#3 Stanford, 62

South Region

Sweet Sixteen

#4 Florida, 70
#9 Cincinnati, 49

#3 Texas, 63
#7 Boston College, 56

Regional Final

#4 Florida, 60
#3 Texas, 56

Midwest Region

Sweet Sixteen

#9 Saint Louis, 83
#4 Arizona, 76

#3 Illinois, 74
#2 Providence, 68

Regional Final

#3 Illinois, 72
#9 Saint Louis, 55

West Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Louisville, 76
#5 Georgia Tech, 45

#6 USC, 84
#7 West Virginia, 63

Regional Final

#1 Louisville, 73
#6 USC, 58

Thus the Final Four has been set:

East Regional Champion
#1 Duke Blue Devils
VS.
West Regional Champion
#1 Louisville Cardinals

South Regional Champion
#4 Florida Gators
VS.
Midwest Regional Champion
#3 Illinois Fighting Illini

[kblu54]

NCAA Final Four

National Semifinals

#1 Louisville, 88
#1 Duke, 82

#4 Florida, 76
#3 Illinois, 75

National Championship

#4 Florida Gators, 74
#1 Louisville Cardinals, 69

The Florida Gators claim the 2008-2009 National Championship.

NIT Final Four

Semifinals

George Washington, 84
Kansas, 70

Western Kentucky, 88
Marquette, 83

Final

George Washington, 64
Western Kentucky, 58

NCAA 2008-2009 Awards

Player of the Year --- Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State
2K Sports Player of the Year --- Chase Budinger, SG, Arizona
Coach of the Year --- Rick Pitino, Louisville

Robinson wins POY again
EIU Basketball News

The OVC annual end-of-season banquet was also held this week. The Panthers gathered a few awards to complement their 12-17 finish.

Senior PG Mike Robinson was honored with his 2nd straight OVC Player of the Year award. Robinson was an all-around force and leader for the Panthers, averaging 9.2 ppg while grabbing nearly 5 rpg and dishing out 5 apg. Defensively, he shut down several big names in the OVC, and added 2.4 spg to boot.

EIU also had 4 players named to the All-OVC team. Robinson and junior SG Romain Martin (15.5 ppg) were named to the 1st team, while big men junior C Ousmane Cisse and sophomore C Matt Dorlack were honored on the 2nd team. It is the 2nd All-OVC honor for each player.

Tennessee Tech head coach Mike Sutton earned OVC Coach of Year honors while SE Missouri State's PG Errick Johnsen earned OVC Freshman of the Year.

On the Eastern Illinois front, head coach Kyle Borland will participate in an end-of-season interview tonight to discuss his 2nd season, his expectations for the third season, recruiting results and possible job offers. Coach Borland is expected to return for his 3rd season at the helm. The Panthers return 3 starters and their entire bench from their 12-17 season, and will look to add 3 talented freshmen following the end of the recruiting period.

[Deuce2223]

Looking good. Very nice recruits coming in. Look like they might be instant starters.

[kblu54]

Borland looks forward to year 3
EIU Basketball News

EIU head coach Kyle Borland is looking forward to starting year 3 with the Panthers, and the expectations are higher. The Panthers finished 12-17 this past season, gaining 3 wins and 4 places up in the OVC standings from their first year under Borland. EIU only loses 2 seniors, despite one of them being 2-time OVC Player of the Year PG Mike Robinson, and is going to bring in 3 huge recruits that will make an instant impact. Before we get to the final recruiting results, we talked to Coach Borland about his feelings about year 2, his outlook for year 3 and his future coaching career.

Reporter: Coach, your team finished 12-17 and qualified for the OVC tournament. You started off really hot in upsetting preseason #1 Memphis, but struggled to build a winning streak before closing out the regualr season with 3 consecutive wins to sneak into the OVC tournament. Overall, how do you feel about year 2?

Coach Borland: I was pleased with the year. Not happy, but pleased. Of course, our big goal is to finish with a winning record and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. We are inching toward that goal, and we made great strides this year. But this is year 3, and we need to produce.

Reporter: That brings us to your expectations for year 3. Where do you see your team going?

Coach Borland: The stakes have never been higher for this group of kids. We only lost 2 seniors, and we will definately miss Robinson, but we have a ton of experience and a huge amount of incoming talent. Coming into this year, I see us as the team to beat. Several conference contenders lost a lot of seniors, so our depth and experience immediately puts us in the top 4. Our goals for the year are to finish with a winning record, qualify for the OVC tournament and make it to at least the OVC final. We need to make a big splash this year and push for the NCAA Tournament. We have the talent to do so.

Reporter: Coach, your team is currently picked to finish 6th this upcoming season. Do you feel that is an accurate prediction?

Coach Borland: Absolutely not. If the "experts" see us as a pushover, they have another thing coming. Our team is strong, we have great chemistry and we know each style in the conference. We know how to beat every team, and we will work on our consistency to make sure we do beat every team.

Reporter: Coach, your recruiting saw great strides and you are bringing in 2 talented freshman. What kind of impact will they make, and what does these strides mean for the future?

Coach Borland: Dupre, Bobik and Giles are amazing players and will be integral parts of our success this year. Dupre and Bobik will probably start as freshman, but do not expect that to hinder us. They are great players who will let their talent overcome their inexperience. Bringing in these 3 means a lot to our recruiting base. If we can bring in players of their caliber, then we can set our recruiting goals just a little higher. As long as we win ball games, our program will continue to look better to prospective players.

Reporter: Coach, you did not receive any significant job offers this season. How long do you see yourself staying at EIU?

Coach Borland: I am not looking toward the future right now. Right now, all I am worried about are the Panthers and our success as a group. If an intriguing offer comes along, I might consider it. But for now, I am concerned with building up the Eastern Illinois program and nothing else. If I leave EIU, I want to leave EIU in better shape than when I arrived.

Reporter: Coach, thanks for your time and good luck this season.

Coach Borland: Thank you.

Coach Borland mentioned the names of his 3 incoming recruits, but let's look at them in some more detail.

D'or Dupre, PG --- 4*
Roanoke, VA
(#83 Overall, #12 PG)

Dupre will come into the Panther program and immediately start at PG. Dupre has big shoes to fill, as he replaces graduating 2-time OVC Player of the Year Mike Robinson. Dupre is an amazing talent, built in the same style as Robinson. Expect Dupre to do it all as he leads the Panthers.

Lloyd Giles, SG --- 3*
Queens, NY
(#312 Overall, #72 SG)

Giles is a defensive minded SG that can also score at will. Giles will backup senior SG Romain Martin and will probably be the 6th man off the bench.

Rod Bobik, SF --- 3*
Louisville, KY
(#326 Overall, #74 SF)

Bobik is a "jack of all trades" type of player, one who can score, rebound, pass and play defense. Bobik will likely earn the starting job at SF to replace graduating SF Billy Parrish.

The Panthers look poised to have a great year and possibly compete for the OVC title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. EIU's drought from the NCAA Tournament is currently at 8 years, since their last appearance was 2001.

[kblu54]

EIU announces 2009-2010 Roster & Schedule
EIU Basketball News

Following training camp, Coach Borland announced the official 2009-2010 Eastern Illinois Panthers roster. EIU returns everybody but 2 from a team that went 12-17 and finished in 7th place in the OVC, and welcomes three solid freshman that includes 2 starters.

Starters

C - #32 Matt Dorlack --- 7'0, 254 Junior --- New Berlin, WI
C - #45 Ousmane Cisse --- 6'8, 257 Senior --- Ivory Coast, Africa
SF - #15 Rod Bobik --- 6'7, 215 Freshman --- Louisville, KY
PG - #1 D'or Dupre --- 6'2, 176 Freshman --- Roanoke, VA
SG - #10 Romain Martin --- 6'3, 195 Senior --- Minneapolis, MN

Bench

#23 Lloyd Giles, SG --- 6'6, 198 Freshman --- Queens, NY
#2 Tyler Laser, PG --- 6'3, 199 Junior --- Hillsdale, MI
#30 Justin Brock, PF --- 6'8, 262 Senior --- Fowler, IL
#54 Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 6'8, 222 Junior --- Hartville, IN
#42 Travis Brock, PF --- 6'10, 210 Sophomore --- San Jose, CA
#11 Aras Prato, PF --- 6'10, 236 Sophomore --- Terre Haute, IN
#35 Chas Cleveland, SF --- 6'7, 203 Sophomore --- San Luis Obispo, CA

Reserves

#40 Wendell Coleman, PF --- 6'10, 230 Sophomore --- Chicago, IL
#13 Kory Page, SF --- 6'9, 214 Freshman --- Indianapolis, IN
#5 Cherokee Fazekas, PG --- 6'4, 182 Freshman --- Fort Lauderdale, FL
#8 Pat Carlisle, SG --- 6'4, 182 Freshman --- Naperville, IL
#6 Dale Chavis, SG --- 6'3, 182 Freshman --- Chicago, IL

EIU has also announced their official 2009-2010 schedule. The Panthers face a pretty tough schedule this season, including facing preseason #3 Louisville, preseason #13 Kansas State, a season-opening rematch with Memphis and a tournament meeting with Texas in the Legends Classic. The Legends Classic also features preseason #2 Tennessee against Gonzaga in the other first round matchup.

Eastern Illinois 2009-2010 Schedule
Red = OVC conference game
Green = Tournament game

@ Memphis
IPFW
@ Drake
@ Akron
@ #13 Kansas State
Texas (Legends Classic --- 1st Round)
@ Tulane
@ Eastern Kentucky
@ Austin Peay
Jacksonville State
Morehead State
@ #3 Louisville
@ Samford
@ Tennessee State
SE Missouri State
@ Jacksonville State
Murray State
Tennessee-Martin
@ Tennessee Tech
@ Morehead State
Tennessee State
Tennessee Tech
Austin Peay
@ Murray State
@ Tennessee-Martin
@ SE Missouri State
Samford
Eastern Kentucky

EIU finished 9-11 in the OVC last year and hope to improve on that mark.

The NCAA released the preseason Top 25, which features some upcoming opponents for the Panthers. Defending national champs Florida appear at #6, while the runners-up Louisville appear at #3.

NCAA Preseason Top 25

1) Duke
2) Tennessee
3) Louisville
4) Arizona
5) Michigan State
6) Florida
7) USC
8) Illinois
9) Kansas
10) Oklahoma State
11) North Carolina
12) Cincinnati
13) Kansas State
14) Syracuse
15) Georgetown
16) Villanova
17) Seton Hall
18) Connecticut
19) Texas A&M
20) Kentucky
21) Mississippi State
22) Maryland
23) California
24) Washington
25) UCLA

[Deuce2223]

Looks good excited for the upcoming season. Looks like Giles is going to be a stud for you next year. I am very impressed with the depth of size you got on your bench. Any chance of getting their overall ratings? How good is D'???

[kblu54]

D'or is the highest rated player on the team at 76.

Dorlack - 72
Cisse - 70
Bobik - 68
Dupre - 76
Martin - 72

Giles - 67
Laser - 66
J. Brock - 66
Jolliff - 66
T. Brock - 64
Prato - 63
Cleveland - 61

Coleman - 60

The other reserves are below 60... Chavis and Fazekas are below 50.

[kblu54]

EIU hangs tough, can't beat Memphis
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois dropped their season opener this week, hanging tough with a good Memphis team before losing 69-60. The Panthers upset then-#1 Memphis in their season opener last year, and almost came close to repeating the same feat.

Both teams traded the lead several times in the first half, but a short 6-0 run before the half gave Memphis a 34-31 advantage at the break.

In the second half, Memphis never trailed but they also never led by more than 4 points until the final minute. The Panthers were unable to make a huge run at the end and the Tigers hit 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch for the final margin.

Final Score:
Memphis, 69
Eastern Illinois, 60

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 16 pts, 5 rebs
D'or Dupre, PG --- 14 pts, 2 asts, 3/8 3PT

The Panthers return home to Lantz Arena to welcome IPFW in their only non-conference game at home.

Current Record: 0-1
Next Game: IPFW @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU can't hold 10-point lead, falls to IPFW
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois led for the majority of the game and had a 10-point lead with only 4 minutes to go, but couldn't hold the lead as they fall 68-61 to underdog IPFW.

EIU, playing their only home non-conference game, jumped out to a 25-12 lead and didn't look back. SG Romain Martin scored 20 of his 26 points in the 1st half as EIU led 40-27 at the half.

In the 2nd half, EIU managed to maintain their large lead for the first 16 minutes, and was leading 58-48 with 4:00 left. Unfortunately, EIU hit a bad scoring drought while IPFW got hot, allowing IPFW to go on a 20-3 run to end the game. EIU did not score until Martin hit a desperation 3 with only 38 seconds left.

Final Score:
IPFW, 68
Eastern Illinois, 61

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 26 pts, 3/5 3PT
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 6 pts, 10 rebs

The Panthers now hit the road for the remainder of their non-conference schedule, beginning with a trip to Iowa to take on Drake.

Current Record: 0-2
Next Game: EIU @ Drake

[kblu54]

EIU can't hold off Drake, loses in OT
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois saw a significant lead diminish for the 2nd straight game, and a big run by Drake in OT allowed the Bulldogs to beat the Panthers, 84-80 in overtime.

EIU and Drake fought hard throughout the entire game, but EIU took a 38-36 lead into halftime. In the 2nd half, EIU built their lead to as much as 8, but Drake would not go down without a fight. Down 72-64 with only 3:00 to go, Drake went on a 12-4 run to close out regulation, including a game-tying 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left. The teams went into overtime tied at 76.

In the overtime, both teams traded buckets but then saw the Panthers hit another untimely scoring drought. Drake's consecutive buckets gave them just the breathing room they needed, pulling out the 84-80 win.

Final Score - OT:
Drake, 84
Eastern Illinois, 80

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 30 pts, 5/13 3PT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 15 pts, 10 rebs

Coach Borland and the Panthers find themselves in a tough hole to start the year, and are looking to turn it around soon. EIU travels to Ohio to take on Akron next week.

Current Record: 0-3
Next Game: EIU @ Akron

[kblu54]

EIU breaks losing streak, gets win #1
EIU Basketball News

EIU came back from a 10-point deficit to defeat Akron 69-66 on the road for their first win of the season. The Panthers opened their 3rd year under head coach Kyle Borland with 3 straight losses, but they were able to crawl back and overtake the Zips.

Akron led for most of the game, and led 60-50 with 8:00 to play. The Panthers, on the strength of their fast break (31 points) and some balanced scoring (4 players with 10+ points), were able to fight back and finally took their first lead of the game at 67-66 with only 1:30 left to play. Akron was unable to make a shot, and D'or Dupre nailed 2 free throws with 10 seconds left to seal the win.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Akron, 66

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 15 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 5 rebs, 6 asts

The Panthers stay on the road and face a huge disadvantage this week. EIU will travel to the Plain states to take on #13 Kansas State.

Current Record: 1-3
Next Game: EIU @ #13 Kansas State

[Deuce2223]

Congrats on the 1st win. Good luck against K-State.

[kblu54]

EIU can't match up with #13 Kansas State
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois dropped a tough one this week to #13 Kansas State, 72-52 on the road. EIU stayed within 5 points throughout the first 20 minutes, but K-State exerted its dominance in the 2nd half. The Wildcats went on a 24-6 run that lasted nearly 10 minutes to put the game out of reach. The Panthers shot only 23% in the 2nd half and 31% for the game.

Final Score:
#13 Kansas State, 72
Eastern Illinois, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 13 pts, 1 stl
Matt Dorlack, C --- 9 rebs, 5 asts, 2 stls, 3 blks

The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Panthers, as they stay on the road to participate in the Legends Classic, facing a 1st-round matchup with a tough Texas team. The winner of the EIU/Texas game will face the winner of the #2 Tennessee/Gonzaga game in the final.

Current Record: 1-4
Next Game: EIU vs. Texas (Legends Classic --- 1st Round)

[Deuce2223]

I was wondering how long of halves are you playing. What difficulty and what set of sliders. The fact that you lose games against tough opponents is very realistic, unlike mose of the legacies on here where everyone gets 20 plus wins and beats every Top-25 opponent they play. Also how long have you been playing the game??

[kblu54]

I play on full 20 minute halves on all-american. The only slider I've changed is the steal/intercept ability (down to like 20-25 i think), cuz otherwise both teams get like 20 stls per game. I just discovered the game a few months ago, so I'm still feeling things out. I really like realistic stats/games. I don't like to have guys scoring 30+ ppg and going undefeated all the time. It's not real.

[kblu54]

EIU upsets Texas in 1st Round of Legends Classic
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois sprinted past Texas in the 1st round of the Legends Classic, taking a 15-point lead into halftime and never looking back, winning 66-52. It was the Panther defense that was the key, as EIU forced 21 Texas turnovers and turned most of those into fast break points. The Panthers finished with 36 points off the break.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Texas, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 17 pts, 11 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 8 rebs

EIU advances to the Legends Classic final, where they will face another tough opponent in #2 Tennessee, who beat Gonzaga 87-63 in their 1st round matchup. EIU has had amazing success in regular season tournaments, holding a 4-1 record overall that includes an upset of then-#1 Memphis last season. Can the Panthers pull off another top 5 upset?

Current Record: 2-4
Next Game: EIU vs. #2 Tennessee (Final --- Legends Classic)

[kblu54]

EIU demolished by #2 Tennessee
EIU Basketball News

The Panthers' hopes for a big upset were quickly dashed by the much stronger and faster #2-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, as they rolled to a 96-59 thrashing of EIU. Tennessee led 27-2 after 10 minutes and didn't look back. The Volunteers took a 50-24 lead into halftime.

The 2nd half was much of the same as the Volunteers led by as much as 34 before the Panthers closed the gap slightly at the end.

Coach Borland: "No shame here. Tennessee was obviously the better team and they showed that in a big way. We just need to take this as a lesson learned and move on. We are more concerned about winning the OVC than taking down the big dogs, which we proved tonight that we're not ready to do so. We are looking forward and keeping our heads high."

Final Score:
#2 Tennessee, 96
Eastern Illinois, 59

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 10 pts, 5 rebs
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 7 pts, 15 rebs

The Panthers stay on the road and travel south to take on Tulane.

Current Record: 2-5
Next Game: EIU @ Tulane

[kblu54]

Late run pushes Tulane past EIU
EIU Basketball News

EIU and Tulane went head-to-head this week, but a late 12-2 run gave Tulane just the advantage they needed, winning 78-64. The Panthers hung tight with the Green Wave but couldn't score when they needed it. Tulane got 4 clutch steals that they turned into crucial points to pull out the win.

Final Score:
Tulane, 78
Eastern Illinois, 64

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 15 pts, 3/6 3PT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 16 pts, 4 rebs

EIU will open conference play next week, but will stay on the road for the first two games. First, they take on Eastern Kentucky and then hit Austin Peay. Last season, EKU swept the Panthers, while EIU split the season series with Austin Peay, including a huge season-ending victory that clinched the Panthers' spot in the OVC tournament.

Current Record: 2-6
Next Game: EIU @ Eastern Kentucky (OVC opener)

[kblu54]

EIU kicks off OVC play on right foot
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois made their 1st OVC game count this season, beating Eastern Kentucky on the road 77-63. EIU has lost their last 2 OVC openers but managed to pull one out this season.

The Panthers were paced by senior leader SG Romain Martin (17 points) and some excellent bench play (38 points from the bench, including 11 from PG Tyler Laser) as they never trailed and led by as much as 22.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 77
Eastern Kentucky, 63

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 17 pts, 2 stls
Tyler Laser, PG --- 11 pts, 4 asts, 3/5 3PT

EIU's long road trip continues as they travel to Austin Peay for their 2nd OVC game. The Panthers split with Austin Peay last season.

Current Record: 3-6 (1-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Austin Peay

[Deuce2223]

I play on full 20 minute halves on all-american. The only slider I've changed is the steal/intercept ability (down to like 20-25 i think), cuz otherwise both teams get like 20 stls per game. I just discovered the game a few months ago, so I'm still feeling things out. I really like realistic stats/games. I don't like to have guys scoring 30+ ppg and going undefeated all the time. It's not real.


I totally agree. No matter how good of players I end up getting I still only have a guy who puts up huge # every couple of games. I like to spread the wealth, and find that some games your normal studs just don't have it and you might have guy on the bench who just goes off. I think its like that in real life alot too. I can't believe you go all 20. Wow props to you. I have had the game since it came out and found that at 1st 14 mins halves were good, but as I improved and got better I have scaled back to 11 min halfs but alot of that has to do with my uptemp offense I like to run, I don't like scoring 100 pts all the time.

I have a feeling as the year progresses you will find yourself winning alot more games and pretty soon you will be coaching bigtime programs.

By the way whats your dream job or jobs?? Where do you hope to move from Eastern?

[kblu54]

well my ultimate goal is to end up at Uconn, but I wouldn't mind going to UNC or Wisconsin or something. If i get to a power school no matter where, I might jump around at some power schools until I get to Uconn. Calhoun retired after year 2 so the guy who took his place is pretty young so I'm guessing that job won't open for a while. I won't mind a nice progression to a mid-major, probably in the MAC or Horizon cuz they have teams in the Midwest, where i'm from

[Deuce2223]

well my ultimate goal is to end up at Uconn, but I wouldn't mind going to UNC or Wisconsin or something. If i get to a power school no matter where, I might jump around at some power schools until I get to Uconn. Calhoun retired after year 2 so the guy who took his place is pretty young so I'm guessing that job won't open for a while. I won't mind a nice progression to a mid-major, probably in the MAC or Horizon cuz they have teams in the Midwest, where i'm from


Good deal. Well you shouldn't have a problem landing a MAC job seems like they always have openings. I have seen Western,Centeral,and Eastern along with Miami OH all open up in the 1st 2-4 years.

[kblu54]

EIU crushes Austin Peay to close out road trip
EIU Basketball News

EIU jumped on Austin Peay right from the tip and never looked back, winning 71-47. The Panthers' press defense led the way, generating 12 steals and 20 turnovers overall, turning them into 45 fast break points. Austin Peay couldn't shot the ball either, as EIU held them to only 27% for the game.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 71
Austin Peay, 47

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 20 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts
Matt Dorlack, C --- 15 pts, 9 rebs

The Panthers finally return home, as they continue OVC play in their friendly confines of Lantz Arena and welcome Jacksonville State. EIU swept the cellar-dwelling JSU team last season.

Current Record: 4-6 (2-0 OVC)
Next Game: Jacksonville State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU pushes win streak to 3
EIU Basketball News

EIU destroyed Jacksonville State this week in their first home game in over a month, pushing their win streak to 3 and remaining undefeated in the OVC by a score of 83-42. JSU tried to keep it close in the first half, but the Panthers used a huge 30-6 run in the 2nd half to put the game way out of reach.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 83
Jacksonville State, 42

EIU Top Performers:
Justin Brock, PF --- 16 pts, 6 rebs
Romain Martin, SG --- 15 pts, 3 rebs

The Panthers stay at home for their 2nd game this week, welcoming Morehead State to Lantz Arena. EIU split with MSU last season.

Current Record: 5-6 (3-0 OVC)
Next Game: Morehead State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU evens record at .500 with 4th straight win
EIU Basketball News

EIU built a big lead and held off a furious comeback by Morehead State to win their 4th game in a row and even their season record at 6-6. EIU worked a balanced inside/outside game as they led 42-28 at the half. MSU slowly crawled back and cut the lead to 5, but that was the closest they would get. PG D'or Dupre shot 0-6 on the day but came through in the clutch, nailing all 4 free throws with less than a minute to play.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 80
Morehead State, 74

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 21 pts, 3/4 3PT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 16 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

The Panthers get back on the road for their final non-conference game against another ranked opponent in defending national runners-up #11 Louisville. EIU is 0-2 against ranked opponents this season, losing by an average of 28.5 points.

Current Record: 6-6 (4-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ #11 Louisville

[kblu54]

#11 Louisville smashes EIU by 27
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't stand up to #11 Louisville on the road, losing big 75-48. The Panthers press & fast break game plan was completely ineffective as Louisville built a big lead and never looked back. EIU shot 31% while the defending national runners-up shot 48%.

Final Score:
#11 Louisville, 75
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 14 pts, 3/3 FT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 8 pts, 6 rebs

EIU has now finished their non-conference schedule and concentrate on the OVC, as they sit undefeated in 1st place. They resume OVC play next week on the road against Samford and then at Tennessee State.

Current Record: 6-7 (4-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Samford

[kblu54]

EIU wins two but loses Martin
EIU Basketball News

The Panthers won both OVC games on the road this week, but saw their leading scorer and senior leader SG Romain Martin go down to a broken toe. Martin scored 14 points in EIU's 56-48 win over Samford, but suffered his injury early in the 2nd half of their 67-42 victory over Tennessee State.

Martin will miss about a month and will more than likely miss the next 5 games.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 56
Samford, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 14 pts, 4/4 FT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 10 pts, 12 rebs, 2 stls

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 67
Tennessee State, 42

EIU Top Performers:
Tyler Laser, PG --- 13 pts, 6 asts, 2/2 3PT
D'or Dupre, PG --- 9 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts

EIU begins their stretch without Martin at home against SE Missouri State.

Current Record: 8-7 (6-0 OVC)
Next Game: SE Missouri State @ EIU

[Deuce2223]

Look at you dominating the OVC. I smell March Madness in the air. :)

[kblu54]

EIU splits in first week without Martin
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois saw their undefeated OVC streak end at 6 but still managed to pick up win #7 as they went 1-1 in their first week without senior SG Romain Martin. The Panthers had some trouble trying to find their new go-to guy and it showed in their loss at home to SE Missouri State. Later in the week, they were able to close out the season sweep of Jacksonville State on the road with a 59-47 victory.

Final Score:
SE Missouri State, 68
Eastern Illinois, 50

EIU Top Performers:
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 10 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls
Tyler Laser, PG --- 12 pts, 3 stls

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 59
Jacksonville State, 47

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 5 asts, 4/6 FG
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 8 pts, 14 rebs, 3 asts

Coach Borland, following the JSU win:
"Martin is a huge piece of our puzzle, and without him we need to make some adjustments. Obviously, we need to be more sound and balanced on the offensive end, considering Romain is our go-to guy and without him we need to attack teams from different angles. It will be a challenge without him but we will continue to play hard."

The Panthers return home for two games next week, welcoming Murray State and Tennessee-Martin to Lantz Arena. EIU split with both teams last season.

Current Record: 9-8 (7-1 OVC)
Next Game: Murray State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU offense in shambles as they lose 2
EIU Basketball News

EIU struggled offensively this week without injured leading scorer Romain Martin and lost back-to-back OVC contests at home.

In the 1st game, EIU couldn't put together anything solid and Murray State did just enough in winning 53-44. The 2nd matchup was much of the same, as Tennesse-Martin squeaked by the struggling Panthers 53-48. EIU was down by 12 and tried to come back at the end only to fall 5 points short.

Final Score:
Murray State, 53
Eastern Illinois, 44

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 7 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts
Matt Dorlack, C --- 8 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts

Final Score:
Tennessee-Martin, 53
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 22 pts, 10 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks
D'or Dupre, PG --- 6 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts, 4 stls

Martin is recovering well but will miss this upcoming week, which has the Panthers hitting the road for 2 OVC games. EIU takes on Tennessee Tech before a rematch with Morehead State. The Panthers beat MSU 80-74 in their first matchup.

Current Record: 9-10 (7-3 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee Tech

[CincyFan]

good job Duece now you got him on a losing streak. Anyways the next game against Tech should get you back in the win column.

[kblu54]

EIU still can't win without Martin, drops 2
EIU Basketball News

EIU dropped 2 tough games this week to push their current losing streak to 4. The Panthers are still without leading scorer SG Romain Martin, but his recovery is mearly over and he will return for EIU's game next week against Tennessee State.

In the 1st game this week, EIU traveled to Tennessee Tech and battled down to the wire, but a dagger 3-pointer with 21 seconds left gave Tech just the advantage they needed in a 51-49 win. In the 2nd matchup, EIU took on Morehead State looking for a season sweep. Unfortunately, MSU had other ideas, shutting down the struggling Panther offense for a 63-46 victory.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 51
Eastern Illinois, 49

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 11 rebs, 2 blks
Matt Dorlack, C --- 13 pts, 8 rebs

Final Score:
Morehead State, 63
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 15 pts, 3 rebs, 6/8 FG
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 4 pts, 11 rebs

The Panthers will finally welcome back Martin from his injury as they really need a spark. EIU, who once sat at 6-0 in the OVC and in 1st place, has gone 1-5 in his absence. The Panthers' offense has been awful the last 6 games, averaging only 49.3 ppg without Martin in the lineup. Before Martin's injury, the Panthers were averaging 66.2 ppg.

Current Record: 9-12 (7-5 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee State @ EIU

[Deuce2223]

good job Duece now you got him on a losing streak. Anyways the next game against Tech should get you back in the win column.


I am so sorry:( I was just to pumped for how well he was playing I couldn't help myself I resind my statement if it helps.

[kblu54]

EIU back on track as they win 2
EIU Basketball News

EIU broke their losing streak and gathered in 2 huge wins that put them right back into the race for the OVC title. SG Romain Martin returned from injury but provided more of a leadership role than a scorer this week as he tried to get back into shape.

In the 1st game, EIU fought hard with Tennessee State before pulling away with a 10-2 run in the final 5 minutes. Later in the week, the Panthers avenged an earlier loss to Tennessee Tech by blowing them out 78-45. Backup PF Justin Brock had a huge week, leading the Panthers with 12.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg off the bench while shooting an amazing 73%.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 60
Tennessee State, 52

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 4 rebs, 5 asts
Justin Brock, PF --- 11 pts, 4 rebs, 5/9 FG

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 78
Tennessee Tech, 45

EIU Top Performers:
Justin Brock, PF --- 14 pts, 7 rebs, 6/6 FG
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts

EIU stays at home to welcome Austin Peay before hitting the road to take on 1st place Murray State. The Panthers blew out Austin Peay 71-47 in their first matchup and lost a low-scoring battle to Murray State 53-44 while Martin was injured.

Current Record: 11-12 (9-5 OVC)
Next Game: Austin Peay @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU loses two tough ones
EIU Basketball News

EIU could not close out two down-to-the-wire battles this week, dropping a home game to Austin Peay and losing to 1st place Murray State on the road by a total of 5 points.

Despite beating Austin Peay by 24 in their first meeting, EIU found themselves in a back-and-forth slugfight that saw numerous lead changes. In the end, a layup and one with only 13 seconds left gave Austin Peay just the margin they needed. SG Romain Martin missed the game-winning three at the buzzer.

In their 2nd game, the Panthers faced 1st-place Murray State on the road. The Racers only needed to win 2 out of their final 6 games to clinch the OVC regular season title, but EIU would not lie down for them. Unfortunately, EIU couldn't take the lead even though they tied Murray State several times. The clutch shot they were looking for never came, as the Racers held on for a 70-67 victory.

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 69
Eastern Illinois, 67

EIU Top Performers:
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 14 pts, 3 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 4 rebs, 2 stls

Final Score:
Murray State, 70
Eastern Illinois, 67

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 15 pts, 10 rebs
Tyler Laser, PG --- 16 pts, 2 stls, 3/3 3PT

The Panthers also suffered some bad news following the Murray State game. Starting freshman PG D'or Dupre left the game late with a shoulder injury and did not return. EIU trainers announced that Dupre suffered a separated shoulder and will be out for about 17 days. Dupre will miss the remainder of the regular season but is expected to return for the OVC tournament. Earlier, the Panthers went 1-5 without Romain Martin and it will be interesting to see how they operate without their top PG.

Current Record: 11-14 (9-7 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee-Martin

[kblu54]

Panthers win on buzzer-beater
EIU Basketball News

EIU broke their losing streak on an amazing buzzer-beater on the road at Tennessee-Martin, putting them in position to claim the #2 seed for the OVC tourney.

EIU and Tennessee-Martin went toe-to-toe, seeing both teams go on big runs and trading the lead many times. In the end, it was the Panthers with the upper hand as senior SG Romain Martin nailed a running 3-pointer at the buzzer. The EIU players celebrated joyously as they tackled Martin to the floor.

Coach Borland: "What a win! We really needed a turnaround and I think this win may be the motivation we needed to close out the season. I can feel this team's confidence growing with every game. Watch out for the Panthers!"

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Tennessee-Martin, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 20 pts, 12 rebs
Romain Martin, SG --- 18 pts, 2 stls

EIU stays on the road and takes on SE Missouri State, who beat the Panthers by 18 during Martin's absence.

Current Record: 12-14 (10-7 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ SE Missouri State

[kblu54]

EIU closes out regular season with 3 straight wins, clinches #2 seed
EIU Basketball News

EIU used their last-second victory over Tennessee-Martin as fuel as they closed out the regular season with 3 straight wins to finish 2nd in the OVC standings and their first winning record in years.

In the 1st game, the Panthers avenged an earlier 18-point loss in beating SE Missouri State on the road, 63-58. EIU then finished the season at Lantz Arena. In their 2nd matchup, the Panthers completed their season sweep of Samford in a blowout, 64-40.

The regular season finale against Eastern Kentucky was the annual Senior Night for the Panthers as they honored seniors SG Romain Martin, C Ousmane Cisse and PF Justin Brock. Martin felt the confidence in his final home game, dropping 22 points as EIU won 74-64.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 63
SE Missouri State, 58

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 26 pts, 5 rebs, 4/8 3PT
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 6 pts, 15 rebs

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 64
Samford, 40

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 18 pts, 7/13 FG
Ousmane Cisse, C --- 10 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 74
Eastern Kentucky, 64

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 22 pts, 2 rebs
Matt Dorlack, C --- 10 pts, 5 rebs

The Panthers finish 2nd in the OVC standings, which earns them the #2 seed for the OVC tournament.

OVC Standings
Note: OVC record in ()

1) Murray State --- 20-6 (16-4)
2) Eastern Illinois --- 15-14 (13-7)
3) Tennessee-Martin --- 12-13 (11-9)
4) Tennessee State --- 12-15 (10-10)
5) Jacksonville State --- 11-16 (10-10)
6) Eastern Kentucky --- 15-15 (9-11)
7) Austin Peay --- 11-14 (9-11)
8) Tennessee Tech --- 12-16 (9-11)
9) Samford --- 11-15 (8-12)
10) SE Missouri State --- 9-17 (8-12)
11) Morehead State --- 10-17 (7-13)

The Panthers will face #7 seed Austin Peay in the 1st round of the OVC Tournament. The OVC Tournament matchups are:

#1 Murray State
#8 Tennessee Tech

#4 Tennessee State
#5 Jacksonville State

#3 Tennessee-Martin
#6 Eastern Kentucky

#2 Eastern Illinois
#7 Austin Peay

EIU split with Austin Peay during the regular season, including a 71-47 thrashing in the first meeting. Some good news for the Panthers is the return of PG D'or Dupre from a separated shoulder, just in time for EIU to make a run for the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2001. Can they run through the OVC tourney and splash the Big Dance?

Current Record: 15-14 (13-7 OVC)
Next Game: #2 EIU vs. #7 Austin Peay (OVC Tournament --- 1st Round)

[kblu54]

EIU blasts Austin Peay, moves on to 2nd round
EIU Basketball News

Romain Martin scored a career-high 33 points as #2 seed EIU crushed #7 seed Austin Peay 65-48 to move on to the 2nd round of the OVC tournament. The Panthers jumped out to a 20-3 lead and never looked back.

Final Score:
#2 Eastern Illinois, 65
#7 Austin Peay, 48

EIU Top Performers:
Romain Martin, SG --- 33 pts, 9/16 FG
D'or Dupre, PG --- 10 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls

The 1st round of the OVC Tournament saw no upsets.

#1 Murray State, 89
#8 Tennessee Tech, 79

#4 Tennessee State, 73
#5 Jacksonville State, 58

#3 Tennessee-Martin, 72
#6 Eastern Kentucky, 70

#2 Eastern Illinois, 65
#7 Austin Peay, 48

The Panthers will face #3 seed Tennessee-Martin for a chance to move on to the OVC final. EIU beat UT-Martin on a buzzer beater a few weeks ago.

Current Record: 16-14 (14-7 OVC)
Next Game: #2 EIU vs. #3 Tennessee-Martin (Semifinals --- OVC Tournament)

[kblu54]

EIU in OVC final after semifinal win
EIU Basketball News

Eastern Illinois advanced to the OVC Tournament final following a 75-61 thrashing of #3 seed Tennessee-Martin, putting the Panthers only one step away from their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.

It was a big day for the EIU backcourt as freshman PG D'or Dupre, fresh off a separated shoulder, and senior SG Romain Martin combined for 33 points and made 7 of 11 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Panthers led 40-29 at the half and led by as much as 23 in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
#2 Eastern Illinois, 75
#3 Tennessee-Martin, 61

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 16 pts, 3 rebs, 5 asts, 4/5 3PT
Romain Martin, SG --- 17 pts, 2 stls, 3/6 3PT

Thanks to an upset, the Panthers will not have to face #1 seed Murray State in the final, who swept EIU this season. Instead, EIU will take on #4 seed Tennessee State for a chance to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers swept TSU this season, winning big (67-42) on the road before completing the sweep at home 60-52.

OVC Tournament Results --- Semifinals

#4 Tennessee State, 58
#1 Murray State, 48

#2 Eastern Illinois, 75
#3 Tennessee-Martin, 61

Can the Panthers vanquish TSU and move on to the Big Dance?

Current Record: 17-14 (15-7 OVC)
Next Game: #2 EIU vs. #4 Tennessee State (Final --- OVC Tournament)

[boomosby50]

nice, keep up the run. i expect some noise

[kblu54]

EIU defeats Tennessee State, going Dancing!
EIU Basketball News

EIU built an early lead and never trailed in a 68-58 victory over Tennessee State in the OVC Tournament Final to claim the OVC Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Junior C Matt Dorlack had a big day as the Panthers beat TSU for the third time this season.

Final Score:
#2 Eastern Illinois, 68
Tennessee State, 58

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 18 pts, 8 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 12 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls, 3 blks

EIU qualifies for the NCAA Tournament for the 1st time since 2001, and their first appearance under head coach Kyle Borland. Coach Borland will hold a press conference this afternoon to discuss the season so far and his thoughts on his team's chances in the Tourney. The Panthers' seed and opponent will be announced along with the rest of the bracket following the press conference.

Current Record: 18-14 (16-7 OVC) *OVC Tournament Champions*
Next Game: TBD --- NCAA Tournament

[Deuce2223]

Congrats on the season. I knew with the start you were off to that you would be going to the dance. I am disappointed that you were not able to pull of 20 wins, but that can come next year :) Looking forward to seeing what kind of matchup you get.

[kblu54]

thanks man... I was really excited towards the end of the game when I was up big and just watching the clock run out... I'm glad all you guys follow...

I was thinking of making a website on yahoo geocities or something for free to keep track of my dynasty and give it a more visual presentation.... What do you guys think? I would continue to post here but I don't want to lose the audience if EA shuts down the forum...

[kblu54]

Coach Borland discusses year 3, tournament chances
EIU Basketball News

EIU head coach Kyle Borland held a press conference today to discuss his team's progress and their upcoming appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers beat Tennessee State 68-58 in the OVC Tournament final to qualify for the Big Dance for the 1st time since 2001. As a #15 seed, the 2001 Panthers lost to #2 Arizona 101-76 in the 1st round. EIU enters the tournament on a 7-game winning streak.

Coach Borland: Thank you all for coming. I will begin taking questions now.

Reporter: Coach, your team got off to a 6-0 start in OVC play, struggled without SG Romain Martin during a 6-game stretch and closed out 6-2. How has the rollercoaster seasons affected your players and your program?

Coach Borland: Ups and downs are just part of the job. It has been a struggle since day 1 to build a strong sense of consistency within this program, but the solid winning streaks we put together this season, including the one we're on now, have shown that our boys are grasping the system well. Sometimes there may be struggles, but it is rare when a team plays perfect every night.

Reporter: Coach, your team played a good number of ranked teams this season. How has those blowout losses helped your players?

Coach Borland: I do not mind playing those tough teams. I am trying to build a sense of growth within this program. Yes, we are concerned about winning the OVC every year, but we need to also keep an eye on the horizon ahead. We can build a stronger program that can hang with or beat stronger teams. Last season, we upset the #1 ranked team on the first game of the season. I want our team to focus on conference play but also strive for national prominence.

Reporter: Coach, your team is one of the hottest small conference teams right now. Do you see an upset on the horizon?

Coach Borland: Well , of course, we are really optimistic about the NCAA Tournament. Our tough strength of schedule has boosted our RPI so we could get a very favorable matchup in the 1st round. We will train hard this week, expecting to win.

Reporter: Coach, seeing you quick success at EIU has many questioning whether you will leave following this season. Are you looking to move on from EIU?

Coach Borland: Right now, I am in the present. And presently, I am the head coach of EIU, nothing else. Going from worst to first in 3 years may be attractive to some other programs, but right now I am concerned about building the Panther program and winning ball games. If an offer comes up, I may consider it but right now I bleed Panther blue.

Reporter: Coach, your style of play is unorthodox. There are very few teams that run a fast-paced, press-defense, fast break-emphasized style of play and so far it has been successful. Do you see your style catching on?

Coach Borland: Honestly, I can't see my style sticking around. It is a very unique style and that is one of the main reasons I teach it. I want to hit opponents fast and score quickly, so that before they know what hit them they are down by 10 points or more. I want a fast pace because I want to wear other teams down by forcing them to run with us. We work hard on our fitness so that we can run nonstop for 40 minutes. If other coaches find my style teachable, then go ahead and try it. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind being the only coach who runs it.

Coach Borland: Thank you all for your time, but I have a game to prepare for.

Coach Borland and the Panthers have received their official seeding for the NCAA Tournament. EIU has earned the #11 seed in the West Region, and their opponent will be #6 seed California out of the Pac-10. The winner of the EIU/Cal game will face the winner of #3 Florida and #14 Bucknell in the 2nd round.

Can the Panthers continue their 7-game winning streak and make a Cinderella run in the Tournament?

Current Record: 18-14 (16-7 OVC)
Next Game: #11 EIU vs. #6 California (1st Round --- NCAA Tournament)

[Deuce2223]

thanks man... I was really excited towards the end of the game when I was up big and just watching the clock run out... I'm glad all you guys follow...

I was thinking of making a website on yahoo geocities or something for free to keep track of my dynasty and give it a more visual presentation.... What do you guys think? I would continue to post here but I don't want to lose the audience if EA shuts down the forum...


Operation Sports has a forum dedicated for dynastys and they are looking to upgrade it next year. There are several who post both here and there. I know Super James and Chris Paul both have legacies over there. I am looking into moving mine over there as well. As I to want to keep it going. I am pretty pumped for NCAA Football. I have plans to make a thread with that one also.

[kblu54]

Panthers have double-digit lead at half - Can they hold it?
EIU Basketball News

#11 seed EIU shocked #6 seed Cal right out of the gate, using their fast break to build up a sizable lead. It was balanced effort as no EIU player had more than 8 points at the break, and the Panthers led 38-25 at the half.

In the 2nd half, the stronger Cal team began to slowly close the gap, but the Panthers tried to keep their distance. Unfortunately, EIU hit a very untimely scoring drought with about 10 minutes to go. Up 52-46, the Panthers failed to score for 6 minutes as the Golden Bears overtook the lead and led 58-52 before EIU found the basket again. But by that time, Cal had the momentum and rode out their lead. Cal collectively nailed 4 of 5 free throws in the final minute to clinch the 1st round win and avoid the upset.

Final Score:
#6 California, 66
#11 Eastern Illinois, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 11 pts, 8 rebs
Lloyd Giles --- 7 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts

Cal moves on to face #3 seed Florida, who beat #14 seed Bucknell 76-50. The Panthers finish the season 18-15.

Final Record: 18-15 (16-7 OVC)

Coach Borland, following the Cal loss:
"I am extremely proud of these men. It hurts to see such a heartbreaking loss, considering our big lead at halftime, but these men never gave up and still had a shot near the end. All we can do is take away the positives. I want to thank the seniors because of the effort they've given over my 1st three years, and I wish them the best in the future. Now that we've gotten a taste of the NCAA Tournament, we can only look up from here. The younger guys should use this as fuel to push the program further, and I can only raise my expectations. We have a strong foundation and the EIU Panthers should be a force to be reckoned with, not only in the OVC but on the national scale as well."

The remaining results from the NCAA Tournament 1st and 2nd rounds:

East Region

First Round

#1 Duke, 92
#16 Siena, 56

#8 Miami(FL), 80
#9 Gonzaga, 69

#4 Louisville, 75
#13 San Jose State, 53

#5 Kansas, 71
#12 Northern Colorado, 46

#14 College of Charleston, 63
#3 Kansas State, 58

#6 Cincinnati, 72
#11 Hofstra, 71

#7 Syracuse, 73
#10 Illinois, 65

#2 Texas Tech, 86
#15 Mercer, 66

Second Round

#1 Duke, 92
#8 Miami(FL), 49

#5 Kansas, 78
#4 Louisville, 68

#14 College of Charleston, 70
#6 Cincinnati, 62

#2 Texas Tech, 73
#7 Syracuse, 57

South Region

First Round

#1 Tennessee, 76
#16 South Alabama, 72

#8 Xavier, 62
#9 Indiana, 46

#4 Baylor, 85
#13 Sacred Heart, 69

#5 Maryland, 75
#12 Memphis, 56

#3 Georgetown, 65
#14 Northern Iowa, 46

#6 Virginia, 84
#11 Santa Clara, 71

#7 Saint Louis, 55
#10 St. John's, 51

#2 North Carolina, 83
#15 Coppin State, 32

Second Round

#1 Tennessee, 86
#8 Xavier, 58

#4 Baylor, 72
#5 Maryland, 56

#3 Georgetown, 61
#6 Virginia, 59

#7 Saint Louis, 56
#2 North Carolina, 54

Midwest Region

First Round

#1 Michigan State, 74
#16 Oral Roberts, 69

#8 Ohio State, 73
#9 N.C. State, 55

#4 Villanova, 76
#13 UC-Riverside, 49

#5 Mississippi State, 87
#12 UW-Green Bay, 62

#3 Marquette, 76
#14 Winthrop, 47

#6 Washington, 80
#11 Yale, 59

#7 Oklahoma State, 74
#10 Marshall, 59

#2 Oregon, 69
#15 Grambling State, 59

Second Round

#1 Michigan State, 82
#8 Ohio State, 67

#5 Mississippi State, 87
#4 Villanova, 66

#3 Marquette, 87
#6 Washington, 75

#2 Oregon, 85
#7 Oklahoma State, 55

West Region

First Round

#1 Arizona, 83
#16 Toledo, 45

#9 Seton Hall, 66
#8 UAB, 51

#4 Arizona State, 53
#13 New Mexico, 48

#5 Pittsburgh, 58
#12 Hartford, 55

#3 Florida, 76
#14 Bucknell, 50

#6 California, 66
#11 Eastern Illinois, 57

#10 Kentucky, 55
#7 Texas A&M, 44

#2 Alabama, 67
#15 Nicholls State, 34

Second Round

#1 Arizona, 82
#9 Seton Hall, 65

#5 Pittsburgh, 49
#4 Arizona State, 33

#3 Florida, 76
#6 California, 68

#10 Kentucky, 64
#2 Alabama, 55

[Deuce2223]

Sorry to see you couldn't pull off the upset. Looking forward to seeing next season. Will be interesting to see what kind of offers you get in the off season though.

[kblu54]

East Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Duke, 73
#5 Kansas, 67

#2 Texas Tech, 67
#14 College of Charleston, 52

Regional Final

#1 Duke, 84
#2 Texas Tech, 73

South Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Tennessee, 96
#4 Baylor, 92

#3 Georgetown, 61
#7 Saint Louis, 44

Regional Final

#1 Tennessee, 66
#3 Georgetown, 48

Midwest Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Michigan State, 79
#5 Mississippi State, 54

#2 Oregon, 66
#3 Marquette, 62

Regional Final

#2 Oregon, 82
#1 Michigan State, 52

West Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Arizona, 67
#5 Pittsburgh, 61

#3 Florida, 60
#10 Kentucky, 52

Regional Final

#1 Arizona, 71
#3 Florida, 59

Thus the 2009-2010 Final Four has been set.

East Regional Champion
#1 Duke Blue Devils
VS.
West Regional Champion
#1 Arizona Wildcats

South Regional Champion
#1 Tennessee Volunteers
VS.
Midwest Regional Champion
#2 Oregon Ducks

[blue_apocalypse]

I just got caught up on your legacy and I really like the realism. Tough loss in the NCAA Tourney but I'm sure you were happy just to get there.

[kblu54]

NCAA Final Four

National Semifinals

#1 Duke, 71
#1 Arizona, 66

#1 Tennessee, 85
#2 Oregon, 61

National Championship

#1 Tennessee Volunteers, 92
#1 Duke Blue Devils, 84

The Tennessee Volunteers claim the 2009-2010 National Championship.

NIT Final Four

Semifinals

South Florida, 68
Nevada, 62

Richmond, 67
Utah State, 64

Championship

South Florida Bulls, 64
Richmond Spiders, 48

[kblu54]

Final 2009-2010 Stats for EIU
EIU Basketball News

Starters

Matt Dorlack, C (Junior) --- 11.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.2 apg --- 42.8 FG%, 75.3 FT%

Ousmane Cisse, C (Senior) --- 5.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.2 apg --- 37.0 FG%, 61.0 FT%

Rod Bobik, SF (Frosh) --- 7.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg --- 32.7 FG%, 33.9 3PT%, 65.2 FT%

D'or Dupre, PG (Frosh) --- 7.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.4 spg --- 39.7 FG%, 36.6 3PT%, 69.7 FT%

Romain Martin, SG (Senior) --- 16.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.0 apg --- 37.8 FG%, 33.0 3PT%, 92.5 FT%

Bench

Justin Brock, PF (Senior) --- 5.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg --- 47.2 FG%, 30.0 3PT%, 69.9 FT%

Tyler Laser, PG (Junior) --- 4.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 2.2 apg --- 41.5 FG%, 41.8 3PT%, 81.0 FT%

Lloyd Giles, SG (Frosh) --- 4.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.2 apg --- 28.0 FG%, 21.3 3PT%, 71.6 FT%

Bobby Jolliff, PF (Junior) --- 3.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg --- 37.7 FG%, 70.3 FT%

Travis Brock, PF (Soph.) --- 2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg --- 40.3 FG%, 45.8 FT%

Aras Prato, PF (Soph.) --- 0.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg --- 36.3 FG%, 55.5 FT%

Team Stats
Note: OVC rank in ()

PPG: 63.4 (1st)
RPG: 34.6 (1st)
APG: 15.7 (1st)
SPG: 6.4 (1st)
BPG: 3.7 (3rd)
FG%: 38.2 (2nd)
3PT%: 32.6 (6th)
FT%: 71.9 (2nd)

The national and conference awards will be announced later today, along with a recap of recruiting and coaching movement.

[kblu54]

EIU garners OVC honors, welcomes 3 new players
EIU Basketball News

EIU pulled in some solid awards following the annual OVC end-of-season banquet. Coaches and players gathered to honor the top players, coaches and teams for the 2009-2010 season.

After capturing their first OVC Tournament title since 2001, the Panthers pulled in 2 big individual awards along with 5 players named to the All-OVC team. EIU finished with an 18-15 record overall but was 16-7 in OVC play, including going 3-0 to claim the OVC tourney title.

Junior C Matt Dorlack was named OVC Player of the Year after averaging 11 ppg and 7 rpg while shooting nearly 43% from the field and over 75% from the stripe. Dorlack broke out this season and looks poised to lead the Panthers next season.

Also, earning an award was freshman standout PG D'or Dupre, who earned the OVC Freshman of the Year award. Dupre, rated the best player on the Panther squad, filled graduated PG Mike Robinson's shoes well, dishing out nearly 5 apg while scoring nearly 8 ppg.

Named to the All-OVC team was Dorlack (1st team), senior SG Romain Martin (16 ppg, 1st team) and senior C Ousmane Cisse (2nd team). It was the third All-OVC selection for each player in the same amount of years. Earning spots on the All-OVC Freshman team was Dupre and freshman SF Rod Bobik, who averaged 7 ppg and nearly 5 rpg in his first full season.

Eastern Kentucky head coach Jeff Neubauer was named OVC Coach of the Year after leading them to a 15-16 record.

On a national scale, SG Patrick Beverly of Arkansas was named the National Player of the Year and the 2K Sports Player of the Year despite the Razorbacks missing the NCAA Tournament. Bruce Pearl of Tennessee won National Coach of the Year after leading the Volunteers to the National Championship.

Back at EIU, the Panthers will welcome 3 new recruits and a new assistant coach. Coach Borland announced this week that he has let go assistant Colson Webster after 3 seasons. Borland cited "philosophical disagreements" as the reason, and didn't waste any time in finding a replacement.

The Panthers will welcome assistant C.W. Guzman to the bench this season. Guzman was coaching at the high school level last season and led his team to the state finals for the 4th consecutive year. "I'm very glad for this opportunity," exclaimed Guzman following the announcement of the signing. "Coach Borland has built a solid program at EIU and I am pleased to now be a part of it. I look forward to an exciting season."

Speaking of coaching hires, the annual coaching carousel was unkind to head coach Kyle Borland again, as most of the mid-majors were not interested. Many small schools offered positions and Utah State considered Borland as their #3 candidate, but it appears Borland will return to EIU for his 4th season at the helm. He recently signed a 4-year extension to remain the coach of the Panthers.

"Of course, I would definately consider any significant offer that came up," Coach Borland said following the extension. "But right now, EIU is the best place for me and I am still concerned with building the program here. We have an excellent team coming back despite losing 2 starters and our 6th man, so we should expect to compete for the OVC regular season title."

Coach Borland will have some talented recruits coming in to replace the departed, and they will definately add depth, youth and talent to the bench.

M.C. Watkins, SF --- 3*
Louisville, KY
(#387 Overall, #92 SF)

Watkins is a prolific scorer that should replace some of the 16 ppg that came from departing SG Romain Martin. Watkins is extremely talented and should be the Panthers' 6th man this upcoming season.

Iman Dearman, PF --- 3*
Hampton, VA
(#487 Overall, #98 PF)

Dearman is a slick inside presence that will supply defense and rebounding to a strong returning interior for the Panthers. Dearman will backup C Matt Dorlack and PF Bobby Jolliff and will be the 1st big man off the bench.

Maury Holden, PG --- 2*
Washington, DC
(#774 Overall, #144 PG)

Holden was extremely interested in EIU from the start and when a few scholarship offers fell through, Coach Borland contacted and signed Holden immediately. Holden is a solid point guard with great potential, and despite being the 3rd PG on the depth chart currently, he should see some minutes and will bring speed to the lineup.

The Panthers look forward to year 4 under Coach Borland as they look forward to challenging for the OVC title and a 2nd-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

[Preo32]

YEAH USF WON THE NIT!!! If only in real life.

got some nice recruits in this year. good luck this season

[Deuce2223]

Very nice recruits. How big is Dearman and what are he and Watkins overall ratings??


Sorry to see Utah State not step up and offer. That would of been very nice to have a 3rd WAC coaching posting.

[blue_apocalypse]

I'm sure you'll get an offer from a mid-major next year. Funny how your recruits all came from out of state but they look like they will definately help your team. Good luck this season

[kblu54]

EIU releases 2010-2011 roster & schedule
EIU Basketball News

EIU has just released their official 2010-2011 roster as they begin their 4th year under head coach Kyle Borland. Borland led the Panthers to an OVC Tournament title and their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2001 last season.

Starters

C - #32 Matt Dorlack --- 7'0, 267 Senior --- New Berlin, WI
PF - #54 Bobby Jolliff --- 6'8, 228 Senior --- Hartsville, IN
SF - #15 Rod Bobik --- 6'7, 216 Sophomore --- Louisville, KY
PG - #1 D'or Dupre --- 6'2, 176 Sophomore --- Roanoke, VA
SG - #23 Lloyd Giles --- 6'6, 198 Sophomore --- Queens, NY

Bench

#10 M.C. Watkins, SF --- 6'4, 182 Freshman --- Louisville, KY
#2 Tyler Laser, PG --- 6'3, 199 Senior --- Hillsdale, MI
#14 Iman Dearman, PF --- 6'10, 256 Freshman --- Hampton, VA
#9 Maury Holden, PG --- 6'2, 193 Freshman --- Washington, DC
#42 Travis Brock, PF --- 6'10, 210 Junior --- San Jose, CA
#11 Aras Prato, PF --- 6'10, 236 Junior --- Terre Haute, IN
#40 Wendell Coleman, PF --- 6'11, 235 Sophomore --- Chicago, IL

Reserves

#35 Chas Cleveland, SF --- 6'7, 205 Junior --- San Luis Obispo, CA
#13 Kory Page, SF --- 6'10, 218 Sophomore --- Indianapolis, IN
#5 Cherokee Fazekas, PG --- 6'5, 186 Sophomore --- Fort Lauderdale, FL
#8 Pat Carlisle, SG --- 6'4, 188 Sophomore --- Naperville, IL

The Panthers return 3 starters and all but 1 from their bench from a team that went 18-15 and almost upset California in the 1st round. The EIU faithful hope the Panthers can keep the good momentum going and challenge for the OVC title again. EIU will not have as tough of a schedule as last year, but hopefully that means that they can reach the 20-win plateau.

2010-2011 Schedule
Red = OVC Game
Green = Tournament Game

UAB (1st Round --- 2K Sports College Hoops Classic A)
@ Mercer
@ SMU
@ N.C. State
James Madison
Butler
@ Tennessee State
Arkansas State
SE Missouri State
@ Murray State
@ Eastern Kentucky
Tennessee-Martin
@ Austin Peay
@ SE Missouri State
Samford
Jacksonville State
@ Tennessee Tech
@ Morehead State
@ Tennessee-Martin
Tennessee State
Eastern Kentucky
@ Samford
@ Jacksonville State
Austin Peay
Morehead State
Murray State
Tennessee Tech

Nationally, the NCAA released the Preseason Top 25. Duke tops the list at #1, and are looking to avenge their loss in last year's National Championship. The defending national champs in Tennessee appear at #18.

Preseason Top 25

1) Duke
2) Arizona
3) Michigan State
4) Ohio State
5) Florida
6) Kansas
7) Syracuse
8) Pittsburgh
9) Villanova
10) Oklahoma State
11) Marquette
12) Illinois
13) Cincinnati
14) Kentucky
15) Texas Tech
16) North Carolina
17) Washington
18) Tennessee
19) Oregon
20) Alabama
21) Louisville
22) Maryland
23) USC
24) Texas A&M
25) Purdue

[Deuce2223]

Travel Budget must be low again, because you didn't schedule any west coast games. :(

I know I ask every season but could you post the ratings of your players. Did any improve??

Also another quick ? I have is. Is there a reason why you keep so many guys as reserves?? Are they walkons?? Personally for me I don't keep more then 13 and only 10 active roster. I have found by having less guys I tend to get better walkons to come to play.

[kblu54]

all the guys on reserves are walk-ons except for kory page. I was thinking of cutting him but he improved a lot so I kept him. Every year I get a good amount of scholarships so in case I need another I will probably cut him.

Sorry about the ratings I just like to keep the posts realistic so it's easier to follow. But here they are:

C- Dorlack 77
PF - Jolliff 68
SF - Bobik 71
PG - Dupre 80
SG - Giles 69

Watkins 67
Laser 66
Dearman 64
Holden 61
Brock 60
Prato 59
Coleman 58

Cleveland 58
Page 58
Fazekas 56
Carlisle 55

[kblu54]

EIU drops season opener in 2K Sports Classic
EIU Basketball News

EIU kicked off their 4th year under head coach Kyle Borland on the wrong foot, losing 75-67 to UAB in the 1st round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic (Bracket A). The Panthers fought hard against the superior Blazers but could never get a hold of the lead. UAB led by as much as 14 and never trailed, even as the Panthers cut the lead to 2 and 3 on separate occasions in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
UAB, 75
Eastern Illinois, 67

EIU Top Performers:
Iman Dearman, PF --- 12 pts, 8 rebs
D'or Dupre, PG --- 14 pts, 3 asts, 2 stls, 2/3 3PT

The Panthers will not advance to an in-season tournament final for the 1st time in 4 years. EIU was 3-0 in 1st round tournament games under Coach Borland, including upsets over then-#1 Memphis and Texas. Next up, the Panthers hit the road to take on Mercer.

Current Record: 0-1
Next Game: EIU @ Mercer

[Preo32]

Yeah when i get the walk-on players than are like 45 overall, i either release them if i have more than 11 people

[kblu54]

EIU wins but may lose Dupre
EIU Basketball News

EIU secured win #1 in their 4th year under Coach Borland 59-52 over Mercer, but they may be without their star PG for a while. It was a great balanced attack as the Panthers led the entire game and by as much as 15 before Mercer closed the gap.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 59
Mercer, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 12 pts, 9 rebs, 3 blks
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 11 pts, 5 rebs

Starting PG D'or Dupre went down late in the 1st half with a knee injury and seemed to be in extreme pain. Dupre, the OVC's Freshman of the Year last season, averaged nearly 8 ppg and 5 apg as the Panthers made the NCAA Tournament. Dupre will undergo some tests this week to determine the diagnosis and recovery time.

Current Record: 1-1
Next Game: EIU @ SMU

[kblu54]

Dupre out for season
EIU Basketball News

Star EIU point guard D'or Dupre will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, team doctors reported today. Dupre, a sophomore, went down late in the 1st half of the Panthers' recent road victory over Mercer but it was unclear how serious the injury was.

Team doctors conducted tests on Dupre's knee and an MRI confirmed the torn ACL, which will sideline Dupre for the rest of the season. A medical reshirt was applied for and approved by the NCAA, allowing Dupre to keep a year of eligibility.

Dupre was an integral part of EIU's run to the NCAA Tournament last season. The Panthers finished 18-15 following a 1st round exit. Dupre averaged 7.9 ppg and 4.8 apg while starting all but 4 games. Dupre suffered a separated shoulder that kept him out of the last 4 regular season contests, but returned in time to lead EIU to the OVC Tournament title and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2001.

The Panthers are currently 1-1 under 4th-year head coach Kyle Borland. Freshman SF M.C. Watkins and senior PG Tyler Laser are the most likely candidates to replace Dupre's spot in the starting lineup. Starting SG Lloyd Giles may also take over some of the point guard duties as the Panthers look ahead to a tough season without their star.

EIU travels to SMU next week.

[Deuce2223]

Tough break losing D' at the point. Don't you just love injuries. I lost Isham for 14 days and its been a killer. Can't imagine what it would be like to lose him for the year.

[blue_apocalypse]

That freakin sucks man. I've had some players go down but never for an entire season. Which brings up a question..does the game have injury redshirts?

[kblu54]

i think if a guys goes down and he has never reshirted, I think you can use it for him if it's not the middle of the season. On my game, it asked if I wanted to apply for medical reshirt and I did it. Now there's a red jersey next to his name meaning he is redshirting.

[Preo32]

Well, im not going to lie, during my Long Island legacy, before the file got corrupt, my star player was injured for, no joke, 483 days. I was like, maybe ill just stop this legacy, and the next day when i went to load it, God answered my prayers and the file was corrupted. i never wrote in the thread he got injured, but it happened. very last game i ever played with them and i never had a write-up on that game or the one before

tough loss for you

[kblu54]

EIU drops 2 in first week without Dupre
EIU Basketball News

EIU dropped 2 on the road in their first week without injured PG D'or Dupre, falling 57-51 to SMU before dropping a 63-57 decision to N.C. State. Senior C Matt Dorlack had two solid games as the Panthers tried to re-establish team chemistry. Sophomore SG Lloyd Giles started at point guard in place of Dupre and freshman SF M.C. Watkins started at SG.

Final Score:
SMU, 57
Eastern Illinois, 51

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 9 pts, 10 rebs
Iman Dearman, PF --- 7 pts, 7 rebs

Final Score:
N.C. State, 63
Eastern Illinois, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 19 pts, 12 rebs, 2 blks
Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 14 pts, 8 rebs

The Panthers return home next week to welcome James Madison to Lantz Arena.

Current Record: 1-3
Next Game: James Madison @ EIU

[Deuce2223]

Tough losses. Not sure its going to get any easier against James Madison, but will be cheering you on.

[Superjames1992]

Tough loss there losing Dupre for the season.

[kblu54]

EIU crushes James Madison
EIU Basketball News

EIU proved that they could still be dangerous team without their star PG, crushing James Madison 82-56 at home. The Panthers jumped out to a 20-5 lead and didn't look back. EIU led 45-22 at the half and led by as much as 30 in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 82
James Madison, 56

EIU Top Performers:
Bobby Jolliff, PF/Matt Dorlack, C --- 23 pts, 15 rebs combined
Tyler Laser/Maury Holden, PG --- 24 pts, 10 asts, 5/7 3PT combined

The Panthers are hoping to keep the momentum going as they welcome a tough Butler team to Lantz Arena next week.

Current Record: 2-3
Next Game: Butler @ EIU

[Deuce2223]

Nice win. lets home it carries over to Butler.

[kblu54]

EIU splits this week, opens OVC play 1-0
EIU Basketball News

EIU split their games this week, losing 76-66 to a tough Butler team at home before opening OVC play 1-0 after a 52-45 road victory over Tennessee State.

In the 1st game, the Panthers welcomed Butler to Lantz Arena but could not pull out the win for their home fans. Butler only trailed for a total of 13 seconds as they maintained the advantage over EIU and pulled away at the end.

In their 2nd matchup, EIU exerted their continued dominance over Tennessee State in the OVC opener for both teams. It was a defensive struggle, but it was senior C Matt Dorlack who provided just the difference the Panthers needed. Dorlack finished with a double-double as EIU used a 10-3 run to close out the game. The Panthers are now 6-1 against Tennessee State under head coach Kyke Borland, including 3 straight wins.

Final Score:
Butler, 76
Eastern Illinois, 66

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 18 pts, 5 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 12 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 52
Tennessee State, 45

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 16 pts, 15 rebs, 2 blks
Iman Dearman, PF --- 10 pts, 6 rebs

EIU will close out non-conference play next week and can now concentrate on a OVC regular-season title. Despite missing injured PG D'or Dupre, Dorlack has been a very pleasant surprise for the Panthers, as he seems to be taking this team under his wing in his final season donning an EIU uniform.

EIU welcomes Arkansas State to Lantz Arena followed by a home matchup with OVC foe SE Missouri State.

Current Record: 3-4 (1-0 OVC)
Next Game: Arkansas State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU drops 3 straight
EIU Basketball News

EIU dropped three tough games this week, including 2 at home and 2 OVC games. Senior C Matt Dorlack had another solid week but didn't get enough help from his teammates.

The first matchup was the Panthers' last non-conference contest, a home game against Arkansas State. ASU showed some surprising speed and was able to break the EIU press, en route to a 73-59 victory. In EIU's 2nd game, the Panthers welcomed OVC foe SE Missouri State to town but was unable to the turn the tide in a back-and-forth battle. Two clutch free throws with 2.3 seconds left turned out to be just the difference SEMO needed, winning 65-62.

In the 3rd game, EIU travelled to the home of the defending OVC regular-season champs, Murray State. This one was not much of a contest, as MSU built up a big lead and never let it go, crushing the Panthers 74-51.

Final Score:
Arkansas State, 73
Eastern Illinois, 59

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 8 pts, 12 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 8 pts, 3 rebs, 5 asts, 5 stls

Final Score:
SE Missouri State, 65
Eastern Illinois, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 12 pts, 7 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks
Matt Dorlack, C --- 11 pts, 8 rebs

Final Score:
Murray State, 74
Eastern Illinois, 51

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 13 pts, 10 rebs
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 10 pts, 4 rebs

Coach Borland, following the Murray State loss:
"Obviously, we are still struggling to find our mentality without Dupre leading us. When you lose a player of that caliber for that length of time, it's difficult to adjust. We are still working things out and trying to re-discover our strengths. It is a work in progress but we hope to still remain competitive in conference. We are behind right now but nothing is out the question, considering we are so early in the season still."

Coach Borland and the Panthers travel to Eastern Kentucky next week. EIU swept EKU last season by an average of 12 points (won 74-64 at home and 77-63 on the road).

Current Record: 3-7 (1-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Eastern Kentucky

[kblu54]

EIU splits, signs recruit
EIU Basketball News

EIU split this week and added a new member during the first signing period of the season. The Panthers beat Eastern Kentucky 69-50 on the road before getting smashed at home by Tennessee-Martin, 70-42.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Eastern Kentucky, 50

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 17 pts, 11 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 9 rebs

Final Score:
Tennessee-Martin, 70
Eastern Illinois, 42

EIU Top Performers:
Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 10 pts, 7 rebs, 2 stls
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 11 pts, 2 asts, 2/2 3PT

Coach Borland signed his first in-season recruit this past week. The new player is Skip Maye, a 7'0 center out of Nashville, TN. Maye is a 3* recruit that should help out in replacing graduating C Matt Dorlack next season. Maye is ranked #312 overall but is one of the top centers, ranked #42 at his position.

The Panthers hit the road for two games next week, first meeting up with Austin Peay before a rematch with SE Missouri State. EIU went 2-1 against Austin Peay last season, including a 65-48 win in the 1st round of the OVC Tournament. The Panthers lost a close one to SEMO in their first matchup, losing 65-62.

Current Record: 4-8 (2-3 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Austin Peay

[Preo32]

Looks like your team is missing Dupre a lot. That's a really nice recruit i got coming in next year. 3 Star Centers can carry your team. I made it to the final 4 in my 2nd seasonwith Long Island, and my 3 star freshman center led the team big time.

[Deuce2223]

Very nice recruit. Don't worry about record, you will get things turned around in conference. I believe in you.

[kblu54]

EIU splits road games
EIU Basketball News

EIU split two road games this week in very differing fashion, blowing out Austin Peay 67-50 before falling to another 3-point loss to SE Missouri State, 55-52. The inconsistency has been constant for the Panthers so far this season, as they shot 45% in the win over AP but could only nail 27% of their shots against SEMO.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 67
Austin Peay, 50

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 15 pts, 5 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts, 2 stls, 2/3 3PT

Final Score:
SE Missouri State, 55
Eastern Illinois, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts

The Panthers return home next week for 2 OVC matchups against lesser-talent teams in Samford and Jacksonville State. EIU swept JSU last year and has a 4-game winning streak against them, while the Panthers have taken 4 out of the last 5 from Samford, including last year's sweep.

Current Record: 5-9 (3-4 OVC)
Next Game: Samford @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU wins 2 home games
EIU Basketball News

EIU swept both OVC contests at Lantz Arena this week, scoring 72 points in both games and winning by an average of 9.5 points. In the 1st matchup, EIU pushed their winning streak over Samford to 4 in a 72-61 victory. Senior C Matt Dorlack had a big game with 18 points as the Panthers never trailed.

In the 2nd game, EIU disposed of a fiesty Jacksonville State team on the strength of another big Dorlack performance, 72-64. Dorlack, the defending OVC Player of the Year, led all scorers with 21 points as EIU saw a 15-point lead get erased before shutting the door in the end.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 72
Samford, 61

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 18 pts, 5 rebs, 2 blks
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 11 pts, 5 rebs, 3 blks, 2/3 3PT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 72
Jacksonville State, 64

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 21 pts, 3 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 14 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts, 2/3 3PT

The Panthers are over .500 in OVC play for the 1st time since the season opener, and will look to continue their streak on the road next week. EIU first travels to take on Tennessee Tech before a matchup with Morehead State. The Panthers split with both teams last season.

Current Record: 7-9 (5-4 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee Tech

[kblu54]

EIU drops 2 road games, back under .500 in OVC
EIU Basketball News

EIU's winning streak ended quickly as the Panthers dropped 2 OVC road games this week to fall back under .500 in OVC play. EIU couldn't matchup with OVC front-runner Tennessee Tech in their first game, falling behind 16-3 early and eventually losing 66-46. In the 2nd game, the Panthers couldn't stay with a tough Morehead State team, only managing to cut the lead to 3 before losing 77-68. Senior C Matt Dorlack continued his solid performances, but the minimal help from his teammates are the cause of EIU's losses.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 66
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 10 pts, 8 rebs, 3 stls
Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 8 pts, 11 rebs, 2 stls

Final Score:
Morehead State, 77
Eastern Illinois, 68

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 24 pts, 7 rebs
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 12 pts, 1/2 3PT

The Panthers stay on the road to take on Tennessee-Martin next week.

Current Record: 7-11 (5-6 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee-Martin

[kblu54]

Another 1-1 week for the Panthers
EIU Basketball News

EIU split two OVC games again this week, beating Tennessee-Martin 74-70 on the road before dropping a tough 74-62 home loss in a rematch with Tennessee State. The loss to TSU snaps a 4-game winning streak the Panthers had over them. The win over UT-Martin gave EIU some revenge, avenging a 70-42 blowout they suffered last time. It was senior C Matt Dorlack and sophomore SF Rod Bobik doing the most damage for the Panthers, but once again, the mediocre bench play prevents EIU from keeping a winning streak alive.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 74
Tennessee-Martin, 70

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 19 pts, 4 rebs, 2 blks
Rod Bobik, SF --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts

Final Score:
Tennessee State, 74
Eastern Illinois, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 17 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts
Matt Dorlack, C --- 11 pts, 7 rebs

The Panthers stay at home to welcome Eastern Kentucky before traveling to Samford. EIU has already beaten both teams so far this season.

Current Record: 8-12 (6-7 OVC)
Next Game: Eastern Kentucky @ EIU

[kblu54]

Another split for Panthers
EIU Basketball News

EIU split for the 2nd week in a row and their 5th week overall this week. The Panthers shut down Eastern Kentucky at Lantz Arena, holding them to 22% shooting in a 51-36 win. the win over EKU caps off the season sweep. The 2nd game wasn't as favorable for EIU, as they themselves shot less than 25% in a 60-46 loss at Samford. The Panthers were looking for their 2nd sweep but the Bulldogs weren't going down.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 51
Eastern Kentucky, 36

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 14 pts, 3 asts, 2 stls
Matt Dorlack, C --- 8 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts

Final Score:
Samford, 60
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 10 pts, 2 rebs, 2 blks, 2/3 3PT
Matt Dorlack, C --- 8 pts, 9 rebs, 3 asts

The Panthers will be looking for another season sweep next week against Jacksonville State on the road. EIU beat JSU 72-64 in their 1st meeting at Lantz Arena.

Current Record: 9-13 (7-8 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Jacksonville State

[kblu54]

Yet another split as EIU in thick of OVC race
EIU Basketball News

EIU split for their 3rd straight week and now finds themselves in a thick race for the OVC Tournament as the regular season nears its end. Senior C Matt Dorlack had another solid week, averaging 20 ppg and 7.5 rpg on the week.

In their first matchup, the Panthers closed out the season sweep of Jacksonville State on the road 87-75. It was a big game for the big men, as Dorlack and senior PF Bobby Jolliff combined for 46 points. In the 2nd matchup, EIU lost another tough home game, falling 66-47 to Austin Peay. Dorlack had a good game but couldn't get the scoring help he needed to matchup with AP.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 87
Jacksonville State, 75

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 25 pts, 6 rebs, 2 blks
Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 21 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 66
Eastern Illinois, 47

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 15 pts, 9 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 12 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks, 2/3 3PT

The Panthers now face an extremely tough schedule to end the regular season. Despite finishing all three remaining games at home, EIU will face each of the current top 3 in the OVC standings to close out their 4th year under head coach Kyle Borland. The Panthers first welcome Morehead State, currently 3rd in the standings, who beat EIU 77-68 in their first matchup. The 2nd game will be against 20-7 Murray State, who currently sits in 2nd place and crushed EIU by 23 earlier. The regular season finale will see the Panthers take on 1st-place Tennessee Tech, who took a 20-point victory from EIU in their initial meeting.

The Panthers have had a tough season without injured PG D'or Dupre, and they still have some work to do to qualify for the OVC Tournament. EIU needs to upset at least 1 if not 2 of the top 3 teams to guarantee a spot.

Current Record: 10-14 (8-9 OVC)
Next Game: Morehead State @ EIU

[G-HOUS3]

This is nice. Good win and a tough loss.

[kblu54]

EIU drops 2, chances for OVC Tournament in jeopardy
EIU Basketball News

EIU suffered two tough losses this week in their quest to qualify for the OVC Tournament, putting them at a tie for the 8th seed. The Panthers knew they had three tough home games to end the regular season, but they were unable to pull an upset in the first two, putting pressure and an interesting twist on the upcoming Senior Night.

In the 1st game, EIU welcomed Morehead State but couldn't seem to matchup with them. Senior C Matt Dorlack was shut down by a stifling MSU defense that allowed MSU to pull away 74-62. In their 2nd game, the Panthers welcomed 20-8 Murray State and stayed with them, but it was some late free throws that proved to be the difference. Dorlack played out of his mind but was unable to push EIU to victory.

Final Score:
Morehead State, 74
Eastern Illinois, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 12 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts
Tyler Laser, PG --- 13 pts, 3 asts

Final Score:
Murray State, 66
Eastern Illinois, 60

EIU Top Performers:
Matt Dorlack, C --- 23 pts, 10 rebs, 3 stls
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 2 rebs, 2 asts

The Panthers are now tied with Austin Peay for 8th place and need a win to clinch the 8th seed in the OVC Tournament, but they will have to get it through Tennessee Tech, who sits at #1 in the OVC standings. Tech dominated EIU 66-46 in their first meeting. The regular season finale will also be the annual Senior Night for the Panthers, who will honor PG Tyler Laser, PF Bobby Jolliff and C Matt Dorlack.

Laser has never been a true starter (until this season) but has always been one of the first players off the bench. With career averages of 4.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg and 2.5 apg while shooting 32.6% from beyond the arc, Laser has been a great contributor off the bench and has stepped up in Dupre's absence.

Jolliff, similar to Laser, did not start until this season but has also been a major contributor. Jolliff redshirted his first year under Coach Borland and has produced ever since. Jolliff has career averages of 4.5 ppg and 3.96 rpg while being one of the more consistent free-throw shooters at 78.3%. A solid big man, he has been a great sidekick to Dorlack and a great helper off the bench.

Dorlack has had a very good career under Coach Borland, including last year's OVC Player of the Year award, 3 All-OVC honors and possibly more to come. Dorlack has been absolutely dominant in the OVC despite the team's struggles, and has started since day 1. Dorlack has averaged 9.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.1 bpg over his entire career (including 12.3 ppg and 7.8 rpg the last two seasons) and has reached the 1,000 point career mark (1,086 total). Dorlack has been an amazing go-to guy for the Panthers for 4 solid seasons.

Current Record: 10-16 (8-11 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee Tech @ EIU (Senior Night)

[kblu54]

Emotional loss knocks EIU out of OVC Tournament
EIU Basketball News

It was a very emotional scene at Lantz Arena this past week, as EIU lost their 4th straight game on Senior Night that officially knocked them out of the OVC Tournament race. The Panthers fell behind 1st-place Tennessee Tech early and could never build a run to crawl back in the game, as Tech ran away with an 84-62 victory.

It was the final home game and final collegiate game ever for seniors PG Tyler Laser, PF Bobby Jolliff and C Matt Dorlack. With EIU down 78-55 with 2 minutes to play, head coach Kyle Borland took all three seniors out of the game to a standing ovation. It was a tough scene to watch as all three seniors received hugs from teammates, assistant coaches and Coach Borland himself and they couldn't fight off the tears.

Laser scored a career-high 19 pts, including draining 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, in his final game and Jolliff added 15 pts and 8 rebs. Dorlack was keyed on by the Tech defense, but he still poured in 8 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 84
Eastern Illinois, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Tyler Laser, PG --- 19 pts, 3 asts, 4/6 3PT
Bobby Jolliff, PF --- 15 pts, 8 rebs

"I really feel for those seniors," Coach Borland said, fighting off tears himself. "They've worked so hard for 4 years, getting a taste of the NCAA Tournament but not being able to go back. Laser and Jolliff have never let up, even in practice, and it's hard to see dedicated players like that leave a program. In Dorlack's case, I don't know if we'll be able to find a center as dominant as he's been for 4 years. It's got to be so hard to see all our high expectations for this season come crashing down. I mean, I don't want to blame all of it on Dupre's injury, but missing a big piece of the puzzle like that puts a lot of pressure on players that have never had to deal with it before. Hopefully, we can take this season as a big learning experience and get back to the NCAA Tournament next season. Overall, I just want to thank the seniors for their effort and dedication. I can't appreciate it enough for the future of this program."

The Panthers finish 10-17 overall and 8-12 in OVC play, but will not qualify for the OVC Tournament. They finish tied for 8th with Austin Peay, but the tiebreaker goes to Austin Peay's 11th win (they finished 11-17 overall).

The final OVC standings and the results of the OVC Tournament will be announced later. Tennessee Tech captures the OVC regular season title and earns the #1 seed in the OVC Tournament.

Final Record: 10-17 (8-12 OVC)

[Deuce2223]

Tough Season. I though you might be able to pull out the conference but guess not. Should be a interesting off seasonl. Did you earn any more attribute points?? What is your overall coaching rating??

[kblu54]

OVC Postseason and Year 4 EIU Stats released
EIU Basketball News

EIU suffered 4 straight losses to end the regular season, knocking them out of the OVC Tournament. The final OVC standings see the Panthers end officially 9th, while Tennessee Tech won the OVC regular season championship.

OVC Standings
Note: OVC record in ()

1) Tennessee Tech --- 18-10 (14-6)
2) Murray State --- 22-8 (13-7)
3) Morehead State --- 14-11 (13-7)
4) Tennessee State --- 15-11 (12-8)
5) Tennessee-Martin --- 15-12 (12-8)
6) SE Missouri State --- 15-12 (12-8)
7) Samford --- 11-14 (9-11)
8) Austin Peay --- 11-17 (8-12)
9) Eastern Illinois --- 10-17 (8-12)
10) Jacksonville State --- 6-20 (6-14)
11) Eastern Kentucky --- 5-22 (3-17)

OVC Tournament

First Round

#1 Tennessee Tech, 77
#8 Austin Peay, 73

#5 Tennessee-Martin, 52
#4 Tennessee State, 51

#6 SE Missouri State, 63
#3 Morehead State, 59

#2 Murray State, 70
#7 Samford, 37

Semifinals

#1 Tennessee Tech, 70
#5 Tennessee-Martin, 67

#6 SE Missouri State, 68
#2 Murray State, 46

Final

#1 Tennessee Tech, 68
#6 SE Missouri State, 50

Tennessee Tech defends their regular season title and captures the OVC Tournament title, earning them the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Back at EIU, let's take a look at the stats from the Panthers' 4th season under head coach Kyle Borland (B overall). EIU struggled to a 10-17 record without star PG D'or Dupre, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the Panthers' 2nd game of the season.

Starters

Matt Dorlack, C (Senior) --- 13.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.4 apg --- 37.5 FG%, 74.0 FT%

Bobby Jolliff, PF (Senior) --- 8.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg --- 36.6 FG%, 82.1 FT%

Rod Bobik, SF (Soph.) --- 8.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.1 apg --- 38.8 FG%, 29.9 3PT%, 79.7 FT%

Tyler Laser, PG (Senior) --- 6.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 4.0 apg --- 37.0 FG%, 31.5 3PT%, 82.0 FT%

Lloyd Giles, SG (Soph.) --- 6.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.2 spg --- 38.3 FG%, 32.6 3PT%, 59.7 FT%

M.C. Watkins, SF (Frosh) --- 6.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.1 apg --- 34.7 FG%, 27.5 3PT%, 79.4 FT%

Note: Laser started 11 games and Watkins started 13.

Bench

Iman Dearman, PF (Frosh) --- 6.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg --- 40.5 FG%, 63.5 FT%

Maury Holden, PG (Frosh) --- 3.2 ppg, 2.2 apg --- 25.8 FG%, 23.8 3PT%, 54.8 FT%

Travis Brock, PF (Junior) --- 2.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg --- 31.1 FG%, 68.7 FT%

Aras Prato, PF (Junior) --- 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg --- 25.0 FG%, 54.3 FT%

Wendell Coleman (Soph.) --- 1.4 ppg, 0.8 rpg --- 30.0 FG%, 100.0 FT%

Team Stats
Note: OVC rank in ()

PPG: 60.9 (4th)
RPG: 33.8 (2nd)
APG: 14.5 (6th)
SPG: 5.8 (2nd)
BPG: 3.9 (6th)
FG%: 36.5 (7th)
3PT%: 30.7 (7th)
FT%: 72.6 (2nd)

The NCAA Tournament will be announced later.

[kblu54]

East Region

First Round

#1 Duke, 89
#16 Jackson State, 39

#8 Tennessee, 85
#9 Notre Dame, 71

#4 Marquette, 68
#13 South Dakota State, 41

#5 Ohio State, 80
#12 Providence, 59

#3 Kentucky, 69
#14 Tennessee Tech, 61

#11 Siena, 62
#6 UW-Green Bay, 42

#10 Florida State, 79
#7 Baylor, 59

#15 Akron, 76
#2 Texas Tech, 75

Second Round

#8 Tennessee, 68
#1 Duke, 65

#4 Marquette, 63
#5 Ohio State, 54

#3 Kentucky, 50
#11 Siena, 43

#15 Akron, 66
#10 Florida State, 63

South Region

First Round

#1 Michigan State, 80
#16 Coppin State, 57

#9 Oklahoma State, 85
#8 Houston, 79

#4 Washington, 79
#13 Sam Houston State, 73

#12 South Alabama, 73
#5 N.C. State, 49

#3 Oregon, 62
#14 St. Peter's, 55

#11 Mississippi State, 73
#6 West Virginia, 67

#7 South Carolina, 60
#10 LSU, 50

#15 Drexel, 65
#2 Florida, 61

Second Round

#1 Michigan State, 71
#9 Oklahoma State, 55

#4 Washington, 69
#12 South Alabama, 67

#3 Oregon, 58
#11 Mississippi State, 55

#15 Drexel, 62
#7 South Carolina, 61

Midwest Region

First Round

#1 Pittsburgh, 77
#16 Florida Gulf Coast, 65

#8 George Washington, 68
#9 Gonzaga, 61

#13 Cleveland State, 59
#4 San Diego State, 54

#5 Colorado State, 70
#12 New Mexico State, 63

#14 Long Beach State, 67
#3 Louisville, 57

#6 Miami(FL), 77
#11 Charlotte, 65

#7 UAB, 79
#10 Ole Miss, 72

#2 Oklahoma, 80
#15 High Point, 59

Second Round

#1 Pittsburgh, 74
#8 George Washington, 56

#5 Colorado State, 64
#13 Cleveland State, 59

#6 Miami(FL), 56
#14 Long Beach State, 48

#2 Oklahoma, 80
#7 UAB, 77

West Region

First Round

#1 Kansas, 73
#16 Army, 53

#8 Colorado, 58
#9 Southern Illinois, 50

#4 Alabama, 64
#13 Albany, 44

#5 Xavier, 68
#12 Furman, 64

#3 Illinois, 54
#14 Santa Clara, 45

#11 Yale, 58
#6 Memphis, 55

#10 Syracuse, 75
#7 Maryland, 65

#2 Villanova, 70
#15 Northern Arizona, 55

Second Round

#1 Kansas, 69
#8 Colorado, 59

#4 Alabama, 76
#5 Xavier, 66

#3 Illinois, 55
#11 Yale, 42

#2 Villanova, 56
#10 Syracuse, 55

[Preo32]

tough not makin the conference tournament. hopefully you get some more good recruits to help you out next year

[kblu54]

East Region

Sweet Sixteen

#4 Marquette, 69
#8 Tennessee, 66

#15 Akron, 70
#3 Kentucky, 60

Regional Final

#4 Marquette, 58
#15 Akron, 56

South Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Michigan State, 68
#4 Washington, 62

#3 Oregon, 73
#15 Drexel, 38

Regional Final

#3 Oregon, 57
#1 Michigan State, 55

Midwest Region

Sweet Sixteen

#5 Colorado State, 53
#1 Pittsburgh, 41

#6 Miami(FL), 64
#2 Oklahoma, 55

Regional Final

#6 Miami(FL), 78
#5 Colorado State, 75

West Region

Sweet Sixteen

#4 Alabama, 62
#1 Kansas, 60

#2 Villanova, 59
#3 Illinois, 56

Regional Final

#4 Alabama, 63
#2 Villanova, 51

Thus the 2011 Final Four has been set, which surprisingly features no #1 or #2 seeds.

East Regional Champion
#4 Marquette Golden Eagles
VS.
West Regional Champion
#4 Alabama Crimson Tide

South Regional Champion
#3 Oregon Ducks
VS.
Midwest Regional Champion
#6 Miami(FL) Hurricanes

[Deuce2223]

Sad that Colorado State didn't pull it off and make the Final 4. I am pulling for Marquette to win it all.

[Preo32]

Yeah ur bracket is weird like mine. 2 #14 seeds in the sweet 16, and one in the Elite 8. No #1 in the Final 4 either. Just a 2, 4, 5 and 8

[kblu54]

NCAA Final Four

National Semifinals

#4 Alabama, 77
#4 Marquette, 71

#3 Oregon, 72
#6 Miami(FL), 44

National Championship

#3 Oregon Ducks, 71
#4 Alabama Crimson Tide, 64

The Oregon Ducks claim the 2010-2011 National Championship.

NIT Final Four

Semifinals

Wake Forest, 61
George Mason, 60

Utah State, 75
Arizona, 48

Final

Utah State Aggies, 61
Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 55

The Utah State Aggies win the NIT Championship.

2010-2011 National Awards

Player of the Year: Vernard Houston, SG, Duke
2K Sports Player of the Year: Vernard Houston, SG, Duke
Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State

EIU collects more awards at annual OVC end-of-season banquet
EIU Basketball News

EIU collected more prestigious OVC awards this season, despite finishing 10-17 and missing the OVC Tournament for the 2nd time in 4 years. The awards were capped off by senior C Matt Dorlack, who earned his 2nd-straight OVC Player of the Year award following an impressive senior campaign. Dorlack averaged 13.7 ppg and 8.3 rpg in his final season and finishes his Panthers career with over 1,000 career points (1,086 total).

Collecting the OVC Freshman of the Year award was freshman PF Iman Dearman. Dearman, who only started 3 games this season, averaged 6.4 ppg and 4.9 rpg off the bench while shooting 40.5% from the field.

Named to the All-OVC team was Dorlack (1st team), senior PF Bobby Jolliff (2nd team), sophomore SF Rod Bobik (2nd team), freshman SF M.C. Watkins (Freshman Team) and Dearman (Freshman). It was Dorlack's 4th selection to the All-OVC squad, while it was the 1st selection for Jolliff, Dearman and Watkins. Bobik was also named to the All-OVC Freshman Team last season.

Murray State Billy Kennedy was named the OVC Coach of the Year after leading the Racers to 23 regular season and conference tournament wins and a deep run in the NIT Tournament.

On the EIU front, the final recruiting results will be announced along with a preview for the Panthers' upcoming 5th season under head coach Kyle Borland. EIU returns most of the team from this season's 10-17 campaign, but they do get back star PG D'or Dupre, who missed the entire season with a torn ACL. The Panthers do need to replace a very productive inside game, as Dorlack and Jolliff are graduating.

[kblu54]

EIU welcomes new assistant and 4 new players
EIU Basketball News

EIU will welcome a new assistant coach and 4 new players for the upcoming 2011-2012 season, their 5th under head coach Kyle Borland. The Panthers struggled to a 10-17 mark last season and missed the OVC Tournament without injured start PG D'or Dupre, who missed the entire season due to a torn ACL. Dupre returns along with starters SG Lloyd Giles and SF Rod Bobik, and All-OVC Freshman Team members SF M.C. Watkins and PF Iman Dearman.

Coach Borland released assistant Dainmon Braun last week, citing poor recruiting techniques as the reason. "Dainmon had been solid for 3 years in this program, but he continually hindered our development in recruiting," Coach Borland stated. "We decided to go in a different direction."

Coach Borland didn't take long in hiring a new assistant, naming Mike Gillian as his new assistant. Gillian brings a better recruiting record to the table and assisted in bringing in one of the best recruiting classes the Panthers have ever had.

Speaking of that class, let's take a look at the incoming players who will join the team and make an instant impact.

Skip Maye, C --- 3*
Nashville, TN
(#312 Overall, #42 C)

Maye signed with EIU during the season and should make an impact immediately. The 7-footer brings a dominant inside presence that should help in replacing graduated C Matt Dorlack.

J.D. Lovelace, C --- 3*
Arlington, TX
(#217 Overall, #31 C)

Considered to be the better of the two centers the Panthers are bringing in, Lovelace comes in with a reputation of having a mean streak and great inside moves. Lovelace loves to bang but is one of the better shooters in his class (A-) at his position. Lovelace should replace the graduated PF Bobby Jolliff.

Jacob McDaniel, SG --- 3*
St. Cloud, MN]
(#283 Overall, #59 SG)

McDaniel is the first of two solid SG's the Panthers are bringing in. McDaniel is a great shooter and is known for being a tough SG. He should help out defensively and offensively and will be an impact player off the bench.

Mario Braun, SG --- 3*
Modesto, CA
(#232 Overall, #58 SG)

Braun was the final recruit for the Panthers, falling through the cracks and jumping on the EIU bandwagon late in the recruiting period. Braun is a great talent and will bring a balanced game to EIU. Known as a solid shooter and passer, Braun will backup both guard positions and should be a great backcourt tandem with McDaniel off the bench.

Combined with the talent coming back and the talent coming in, EIU is surprisingly picked to finish 3rd in the OVC despite having the best overall rating out of all 11 OVC Teams. How far can the Panthers go?

[Deuce2223]

Very nice recruiting class. Did you get any offers dispite your poor record this year?? Also what is your coaches overall rating??

[kblu54]

I did not get any offers, only from small crappy schools. My overall coaching rating is a B.

[kblu54]

Hey guys, just to let you know, I opened a thread on Operation Sports about my legacy. I will continue to post here but I will also post the same game recaps there in case this forum gets shut down. I'm not leaving, I'm just preparing!

[Deuce2223]

Hey guys, just to let you know, I opened a thread on Operation Sports about my legacy. I will continue to post here but I will also post the same game recaps there in case this forum gets shut down. I'm not leaving, I'm just preparing!


I am actually doing the same. I havn't gotten very far at moving things over their yet but in the works.

Well looks like we get to enjoy another year of Panther basketball. with D and the incoming freshman you might have a hard time leaving

[Preo32]

Ive considered movin it over there as well, something i was going to do before i started this legacy and after i started, after my 1st year. Havent started the year yet, so maybe ill start it this weekend on there with a small recap of my first year and then the rosters, schedule, ECT.

good luck this season

[kblu54]

EIU releases 2011-2012 roster & schedule
EIU Basketball News

EIU head coach Kyle Borland has just released the official roster and schedule for the 2011-2012 season, his 5th season at the helm of the Panthers. Coach Borland has compiled a 49-67 record in 4 years, including EIU's first trip the NCAA Tournament since 2001. Last season, the Panthers struggled without injured PG D'or Dupre, who missed the entire season due to a torn ACL, and finished 10-17, missing the OVC Tournament for the 2nd time in 4 years. The expectations are still high for EIU, as Dupre returns along with 2 other starters, the top scorers off the bench from last season and a sick incoming class that brings a wide range of talent. The Panthers should compete for the OVC championship this season.

Starters

C - #53 Skip Maye --- 7'0, 243 Freshman --- Nashville, TN --- (70 OVR)
C - #52 J.D. Lovelace --- 6'10, 234 Freshman --- Arlington, TX --- (69 OVR)
SF - #15 Rod Bobik --- 6'7, 227 Junior --- Louisville, KY --- (74 OVR)
PG - #1 D'or Dupre --- 6'3, 185 Sophomore --- Roanoke, VA --- (82 OVR)
SG - #23 Lloyd Giles --- 6'6, 204 Junior --- Queens, NY --- (72 OVR)

Bench

#10 M.C. Watkins, SF --- 6'4, 191 Sophomore --- Louisville, KY --- (71 OVR)
#6 Jacob McDaniel, SG --- 6'5, 197 Freshman --- St.Cloud, MN --- (67 OVR)
#20 Mario Braun, SG --- 6'4, 190 Freshman --- Modesto, CA --- (67 OVR)
#14 Iman Dearman, PF --- 6'11, 261 Sophomore --- Hampton, VA --- (66 OVR)
#9 Maury Holden, PG --- 6'3, 193 Sophomore --- Washington, DC --- (63 OVR)
#42 Travis Brock, PF --- 6'10, 220 Senior --- San Jose, CA --- (61 OVR)
#40 Wendell Coleman, PF --- 6'11, 247 Junior --- Chicago, IL --- (60 OVR)

Reserves

#11 Aras Prato, PF --- 6'10, 241 Senior --- Terre Haute, IN --- (60 OVR)
#35 Chas Cleveland, SF --- 6'7, 211 Senior --- San Luis Obispo, CA --- (59 OVR)
#8 Pat Carlisle, SG --- 6'4, 188 Junior --- Naperville, IL --- (58 OVR)

The Panthers are predicted to finish third behind defending OVC champions Tennessee Tech and Murray State, despite having the best overall rating. EIU has also released their schedule, which features a wide range of non-conference opponents. The toughest matchup the Panthers should have will be a road game against LSU.

2011-2012 Schedule
Red = OVC game
Green = Tournament Game

Army
@ LSU
Florida Gulf Coast (1st Round --- 100 Club Classic)
@ Loyola(IL)
Texas State
@ Tennessee-Martin
@ Eastern Kentucky
@ Illinois State
Tennessee State
SE Missouri State
Hampton
@ Tennessee Tech
Tennessee-Martin
Morehead State
Austin Peay
@ Murray State
@ Samford
Tennessee Tech
Eastern Kentucky
@ Austin Peay
Jacksonville State
@ Tennessee State
@ Morehead State
Murray State
Samford
@ Jacksonville State
@ SE Missouri State

The Panthers should definately improve on the 8-12 conference mark they had last season. The NCAA released the preseason Top 25 to begin the season. Duke claims the top spot for the 3rd year in a row, but have yet to win a national title in that time, only finishing runner-up once. None of last year's Final Four participants are in the Top 5, and only team in the Top 10 is Marquette. The defending national champions in Oregon appear at #13.

Preseason Top 25

1) Duke
2) Michigan State
3) Arizona
4) Kansas
5) North Carolina
6) Ohio State
7) Syracuse
8) Tennessee
9) Marquette
10) Pittsburgh
11) Villanova
12) Louisville
13) Oregon
14) UCLA
15) Washington
16) Texas Tech
17) Wisconsin
18) West Virginia
19) Illinois
20) Florida
21) Providence
22) Saint Louis
23) Alabama
24) Memphis
25) Rutgers

[kblu54]

EIU kicks off 2011-2012 season with win
EIU Basketball News

EIU started off their 5th season under head coach Kyle Borland slowly, shooting poorly and allowing Army to stick with them. But in the end, some halftime adjustments were made and the Panthers ran away with an easy 58-42 home win over the Cadets. EIU shot only 30% but never trailed, as their patented press defense shut down the Army offense.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 58
Army, 42

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 8 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 6 pts, 9 rebs

The Panthers will now hit the road for one of their toughest matchups, taking on the LSU Tigers. LSU qualified for the NCAA Tournament as a #10 seed last season but lost in the 1st round.

Current Record: 1-0
Next Game: EIU @ LSU

[Deuce2223]

Congrats on the solid win. Your team is becoming very strong with your great recruits over the last 2 years. You starting 5 has to be one of the best in the OVC

[kblu54]

EIU notches OT road upset over LSU
EIU Basketball News

EIU came back from a 12-point deficit in the final 6 minutes to force overtime and then outscored LSU 13-3 in the final period to pull out a 75-65 upset. The Panthers were down 52-40 with 6 minutes to play, but led by tunovers and fast break points they closed in on the Tigers. The biggest play of the game came with only 3 seconds left, as freshman C Skip Maye banked a shot off the glass to tie the game at 62 and send it into OT. In OT, it was all EIU as they rode the momentum to victory. LSU shot 1-12 in the final period.

Final Score (OT):
Eastern Illinois, 75
LSU, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 7 rebs, 3 blks
D'or Dupre, PG --- 7 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks

Coach Borland: "Just the win we needed. We showed amazing composure down the stretch, as we were able to get on a run and keep it going. In the past, we have cut into leads only to still lose in the end. This team showed a sense of confidence I've never seen before. This team is extremely dangerous. I will be interesting to see where we go from here."

The Panthers will participate in the 100 Club Classic next week, facing Florida Gulf Coast in the 1st round. The winner will face the winner of Holy Cross and Sacred Heart in the final.

Current Record: 2-0
Next Game: EIU vs. Florida Gulf Coast (1st Round --- 100 Club Classic)

[Preo32]

This will be your breakout year for sure. Dupre is rated high, and you have a lot of good players, and after the nice win over LSU, you should have a big year

[kblu54]

EIU squeaks past Florida Gulf Coast, advances to Classic final
EIU Basketball News

In a very low-scoring, defensive battle, EIU survived thanks to FGCU's poor shooting down the stretch and won 37-35 to advance to the 100 Club Classic final. Florida Gulf Coast played a slow-down style that hindered the Panthers' up-tempo style. FGCU actually led for most of the 1st half but EIU able to force a 18-18 tie into halftime.

In the 2nd half, the defensive struggle continued but a 8-0 Panther run gave EIU a 36-27 lead with only 5 minutes left. FGCU responded with a 8-1 run of their own over 3 minutes and EIU head coach Kyle Borland took a timeout with the Panthers up 37-35 and only 2 minutes to play. Luckily, the Panther defense stepped up when they needed it, forcing FGCU to miss all of their final 10 shots to preserve victory.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 37
Florida Gulf Coast, 35

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 7 pts, 7 rebs
D'or Dupre, PG --- 7 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls

EIU advances to the 100 Club Classic final and will take on Holy Cross.

Current Record: 3-0
Next Game: EIU vs. Holy Cross (Final --- 100 Club Classic)

[Preo32]

wtf???? that is the lowest scorin game ive ever heard of anybody gettin on this game. Crazy. Nice win, thou

[kblu54]

Dupre-to-Giles at buzzer wins Classic for EIU
EIU Basketball News

Junior SG Lloyd Giles nailed a runner in the lane off of a beautiful pass from sophomore PG D'or Dupre with no time remaining to give EIU a 53-52 win in the 100 Club Classic final. The Panthers jumped out to a big start over Holy Cross and led for most of the game, but Holy Cross began cutting into the lead in the 2nd half.

With 15 second left, Holy Cross nailed a 3-pointer to put them up 52-51. Following a timeout, EIU brought the ball up looking for the game-winner. Holy Cross double-teamed Dupre, but he was able to split the two defenders and hit a cutting Giles in stride. Giles took one dribble and lofted the shot with just over a second remaining, and it swished the net right at the buzzer. The Panther bench stormed the court to celebrate the huge win.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 53
Holy Cross, 52

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 13 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls
Rod Bobik, SF --- 9 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts

Giles' shot was his only points of the game, as he finished with 2 on only 1-10 shooting. The Panthers stay on the road but will play in their home state of Illinois, taking on Loyola (IL) next week.

Current Record: 4-0
Next Game: EIU @ Loyola (IL)

[Preo32]

Wow... 1-10, but gettin the game winner. Thats what i call clutch. Doin good so far thou. I expet a nice win vs the in-state Loyola

[kblu54]

EIU pushes win streak to 5
EIU Basketball News

EIU won their 5th straight game to open the 2011-2012 season, beating Loyola (IL) on the road 53-41. It was the Panthers defense making another big statement, as they held Loyola (IL) to only 23% from the field.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 53
Loyola (IL), 41

EIU Top Performers:
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 12 pts, 5/6 FG
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 7 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts

EIU returns home to welcome Texas State to Lantz Arena before beginning OVC play on the road.

Current Record: 5-0
Next Game: Texas State @ EIU

[kblu54]

Hot-shooting Texas State deals EIU fist loss
EIU Basketball News

EIU suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of a hot-shooting Texas State team, falling 75-61. TSU shot 54% from the field, including 63% from behind the arc as they built a big lead and kept the Panthers at bay. EIU was unable to match shot-for-shot and was only able to the cut the lead to 6 in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
Texas State, 75
Eastern Illinois, 61

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 13 pts, 4 rebs, 9 asts
Skip Maye, C --- 6 pts, 8 rebs

The Panthers open OVC play on the road next week, taking on Tennessee-Martin. EIU split with them last season but won on the road 74-70.

Current Record: 5-1
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee-Martin (OVC opener)

[kblu54]

EIU wins OVC opener
EIU Basketball News

EIU dominated in their OVC opener, beating Tennessee-Martin 77-62 on the road. It was a balanced attack for the Panthers as only 1 players scored in double digits but 9 players had 6 points or more.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 77
Tennessee-Martin, 62

EIU Top Performers:
Jacob McDaniel, SG --- 12 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls, 2/3 3PT
D'or Dupre, PG --- 8 pts, 3 rebs, 10 asts, 2 stls

EIU stays on the road to plat OVC foe Eastern Kentucky next. The Panthers swept EKU last season by an average of 17 points.

Current Record: 6-1 (1-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Eastern Kentucky

[Preo32]

My legacy team beat yours. All the players one my team are probably gone thou

[kblu54]

EIU notches OVC win #2 on the road
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up their 2nd OVC win on the road against Eastern Kentucky, building a 20-point lead before holding on to win 73-67. The Panthers were led by their star PG D'or Dupre, who scored a career-high 21 points and dished out 6 assists, and freshman C Skip Maye, who recorded his 1st career double-double.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 73
Eastern Kentucky, 67

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 21 pts, 6 asts, 2 stls
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 12 rebs, 3 blks

Dupre is averaging 14.0 ppg and 8.3 apg in his last 3 games as EIU looks ahead to another road game in Illinois, taking on Illinois State from the Missouri Valley Conference.

Current Record: 7-1 (2-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Illinois State

[kblu54]

EIU drops low-scoring OT thriller
EIU Basketball News

EIU saw a 10-point lead get erased and then couldn't make the clutch shot they needed in overtime, as they lost 49-48 on the road to Illinois State. The Panthers led for the majority of the game despite only shooting 22% and led 42-32 with 5 minutes left to play. Unfortunately, EIU hit a drought while ISU crawled back in the game, nailing a three with 4 seconds left to send it into OT.

In OT, ISU used their momentum to score 7 unanswered to lead 49-42 with 3 minutes left. Following a timeout, the Panthers went on a run of their own, cutting it to 49-48 with 45 seconds left. Unfortunately, EIU missed their final 4 shots to give Illinois State the win.

Final Score (OT):
Illinois State, 49
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 12 pts, 10 rebs
Mario Braun, SG --- 10 pts, 2/3 3PT

The Panthers will look to upright the ship offensively next week at home against OVC foe Tennessee State. EIU has had some great success against TSU under head coach Kyle Borland, going 6-2 in the past 4 years.

Current Record: 7-2 (2-0 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU nearly hits triple digits in blowout win
EIU Basketball News

EIU continued their undefeated conference streak in a big way, nearly scoring 100 points in a home blowout win over Tennessee State. The Panthers led 48-22 at the half and didn't let up in the 2nd half.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 99
Tennessee State, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 19 pts, 4 rebs, 3/3 3PT
Skip Maye, C --- 16 pts, 4 rebs, 3 stls

PG D'or Dupre tied his career-high with 10 assists. EIU stays at home this week to welcome another OVC foe to Lantz Arena, this time in SE Missouri State. The Panthers were swept my SEMO last season by a total of 6 points, but with the start they've had this season, they should get some needed revenge.

Current Record: 8-2 (3-0 OVC)
Next Game: SE Missouri State @ EIU

[kblu54]

Another big win for EIU
EIU Basketball News

EIU nearly doubled up SE Missouri State in a huge home blowout win, their 2nd 35+ point win in a row. It was a big game for the freshman backcourt of J.D. Lovelace and Skip Maye, as they combined for 32 points in the Panthers' 79-44 thrashing.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 79
SE Missouri State, 44

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 17 pts, 4 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 15 pts, 4 rebs, 7/8 FG

EIU stay at home for their final non-conference battle, as they welcome Hampton to Lantz Arena. It is the Panthers' last non-conference matchup before focusing entirely on their race for the OVC regular season title.

Current Record: 9-2 (4-0 OVC)
Next Game: Hampton @ EIU

[Fresh]

great rhythm that your team is in right now....good start to the conf. schedule too!

[Preo32]

You are definetly on a roll. Possibly an undefeated conference record??

[kblu54]

EIU notches 3rd straight win, 3rd straight blowout
EIU Basketball News

EIU is officially cruising following their 3rd straight blowout win this week, dominating Hampton at home 86-51. PG D'or Dupre set a new career-high in points, racking up 23 and nailing 4 of 8 from behind the arc. Sophomore SF M.C. Watkins chipped in 21 off the bench and sunk all three of his long-range attempts.

EIU gets to 10 wins in the shortest amount of games (12) in their 5th year under head coach Kyle Borland. It took 27 (but never actually getting to 10), 26, 22 and 21 games respectively over the past 4 years to get to double-digit victories. The Panthers are averaging 88 ppg in their last 3 games while only allowing 50.6 ppg. In their first 9 games, EIU put up only 59.4 ppg while allowing 54.2.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 86
Hampton, 51

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 23 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls, 4/8 3PT
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 21 pts, 5 rebs, 3/3 3PT

Coach Borland, following the Hampton win:
"We are just on a roll now. It took us a few games to click, especially with the new faces in the lineup, but now the guys seem to have some good chemistry and they're just feeding off each other right now. Dupre has been absolutely outstanding leading this offense, who has shown how dangerous they can be. I am very impressed how our defense is feeding our offense. We're getting turnovers and turning them into quick points, which is building our leads faster and larger. If we can keep this tempo up, a conference title is not out of the question! But I don't want to jinx it of course ;) "

Coach Borland and the Panthers have a tough matchup next week. EIU resumes OVC play on the road against the defending regular season and OVC Tournament champions in Tennessee Tech. Tech swept the Panthers by an average of 21 points last season, including an emotional 22-point blowout on Senior Night that knocked EIU out of the OVC Tournament. The Panthers are looking for some major revenge.

Current Record: 10-2 (4-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee Tech

[Deuce2223]

This was the kind of year I thought you would have last season before the loss of Dupre and your team is even better this year. Good luck with the rest of the year.

[kblu54]

Late run halts EIU's winning streak
EIU Basketball News

EIU's winning streak was halted on the road this week by Tennessee Tech, 73-70. The Panthers led for the majority of the game over the defensing OVC champs, including a 10-point lead early in the 2nd half. But it was a late Tech run that turned out to the be the difference in the game.

Down 66-60, Tech went on an 9-0 run to take a 69-66 lead with 2 minutes to play. The teams traded buckets and Tech only made the 1st of a double bonus chance with 16 seconds left. EIU took a timeout down 73-70 to set up a game-tying play. Unfortunately, SG Lloyd Giles missed a three at the buzzer and Tech walked away with the win.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 73
Eastern Illinois, 70

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 18 pts, 9 rebs, 3 blks
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 9 asts

The Panthers return home for the 1st of three straight OVC contests at Lantz Arena. EIU hopes to revive their conference winning streak against Tennessee-Martin, who the Panthers beat by 15 in their first matchup.

Current Record: 10-3 (4-1 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee-Martin @ EIU

[Preo32]

Tough loss. Either way, your team is playin great and i expect more good things to come

[kblu54]

EIU rebounds in big way, smashes UT-Martin
EIU Basketball News

EIU took out their frustrations on Tennessee-Martin this week, destroying them 81-58 at home to complete the season sweep. The Panthers had just lost a tough one to Tennessee Tech and were looking to take it out on someone. SF Rod Bobik led all scorers with 18 points and PG D'or Dupre dished out another 9 assists.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 81
Tennessee-Martin, 58

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 18 pts, 3 stls, 7/9 FG
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 3 rebs, 9 asts

EIU stays at home to welcome Morehead State to Lantz Arena. MSU swept the Panthers last season.

Current Record: 11-3 (5-1 OVC)
Next Game: Morehead State @ EIU

[Preo32]

Morehead State, the team i almost started a legacy with. Good luck against them this year

[kblu54]

EIU makes it 2 in a row
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up their 2nd straight win, beating Morehead State 66-60 at home. The Panthers led by as much as 14 before MSU crawled back. PG D'or Dupre nailed 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with 17 points.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Morehead State, 60

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 17 pts, 5 asts, 4/5 3PT
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 17 pts, 7 rebs

EIU stays at home and welcomes Austin Peay to Lantz Arena. The Panthers split with AP last season.

Current Record: 12-3 (6-1 OVC)
Next Game: Austin Peay @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU snatches 3rd straight
EIU Basketball News

It was another big day for the freshman interior, as EIU beat Austin Peay 83-76 at the friendly confines of Lantz Arena. Freshman centers J.D. Lovelace and Skip Maye combined for 33 points as the Panthers led by as much as 17.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 83
Austin Peay, 76

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 19 pts, 5 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 8 rebs, 6/8 FG

EIU hopes to keep their winning streak alive despite hitting the road for two OVC contests next week. The Panthers face Murray State first before traveling to meet Samford. EIU was swept by the Racers last season and split with Samford.

Current Record: 13-3 (7-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Murray State

[kblu54]

EIU easily makes it 4 in a row
EIU Basketball News

EIU had no trouble in taking down Murray State on the road, winning 60-43 to push their winning streak to 4 games. It was the Panther defense that made the biggest impact, holding the Racers to 25% shooting and forcing 18 turnovers.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 60
Murray State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 5 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls

EIU looks to push their winning streak to 5, which would match the season-high they set to start the season. The Panthers travel to meet up with a struggling Samford team.

Current Record: 14-3 (8-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Samford

[Preo32]

nice win there

[kblu54]

EIU falls prey to Samford slow-down game, lose on road
EIU Basketball News

EIU fell into Samford's slow-down tempo and shot poorly, allowing the Bulldogs to sneak out a 49-46 upset. The Panthers had averaged 78 ppg in the last 8 games, going 7-1 in that time. EIU shot only 22% and turned the ball over 16 times, and Samford used the poor play to work the clock and pull the upset.

Final Score:
Samford, 49
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 10 pts, 3 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 9 pts, 2 rebs

The Panthers' winning streak is snapped at 4 but they will look to begin a new one at home next week. EIU welcomes Tennessee Tech to Lantz Arena and then Eastern Kentucky. The Panthers dropped a close 73-70 decision to Tech on the road but beat EKU 73-67 in their 1st matchup.

Current Record: 14-4 (8-2 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee Tech @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU gets revenge in defensive win
EIU Basketball News

EIU avenged an earlier loss to Tennessee Tech at home this week, using their strong defense in a 55-39 victory. The Panthers held Tech to 24% from the field and forced 17 turnovers, and freshman C J.D. Lovelace picked up a double-double.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 55
Tennessee Tech, 39

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 14 pts, 12 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks
Skip Maye, C --- 12 pts, 5 rebs

EIU stays at home and will welcome Eastern Kentucky next.

Current Record: 15-4 (9-2 OVC)
Next Game: Eastern Kentucky @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU sneaks out close win
EIU Basketball News

EIU hung on for a close 55-52 home win over Eastern Kentucky this week. EIU shot poorly but never trailed and held off EKU late to preserve the win.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 55
Eastern Kentucky, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 8 rebs
Mario Braun, SG --- 11 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

The Panthers hit the road to take on Austin Peay next week. EIU beat AP 83-76 at home a few weeks ago.

Current Record: 16-4 (10-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Austin Peay

[kblu54]

EIU pushes winning streak to 4
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up 2 huge wins this week to push their current winning streak to 4. The Panthers smashed Austin Peay 69-45 on the road before returning home to beat up on Jacksonville State 65-43. Junior SF Rod Bobik had the best week, leading EIU with 11.5 ppg while grabbing 8.5 rpg.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Austin Peay, 45

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 12 pts, 11 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 12 pts, 7 rebs

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 65
Jacksonville State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 11 pts, 10 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

The Panthers hit the road for 2 OVC rematches next week, taking on Tennessee State before meeting up with Morehead State. EIU almost dropped 100 on TSU in a blowout win and squeaked by MSU 66-60 in their first meeting this season.

Current Record: 18-4 (12-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee State

[kblu54]

EIU keeps streak alive, pushes it to 6 after 2 road wins
EIU Basketball News

EIU swept both road contests this week to push their current winning streak to a season-high 6 games, and get head coach Kyle Borland his first 20-win season in his short career.

The Panthers dominated Tennessee State 70-40 before hanging on to beat Morehead State 51-46 in a tough defensive battle.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 70
Tennessee State, 40

EIU Top Performers:
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 19 pts, 9 rebs, 10/10 FT
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 8 pts, 4 rebs, 2/2 3PT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 51
Morehead State, 46

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 3 asts
Skip Maye, C --- 9 pts, 13 rebs, 2 blks

Coach Borland:
"It is an honor to reach 20 wins with this group of guys. It is funny to think that a few years ago our season goal was only 12 wins, but now the bar has been reset. This program is heading in the right direction and we're getting better everyday. Following the Samford loss, I sat down with the entire team and explained how we are head and shoulders above any other team in the OVC right now. We shouldn't stoop to lesser teams levels. We need to play our game every night and focus on dominating and putting up big points. I feel the motivation has driven this team that past few games, and they have a look in their eye I've never seen before. They all seem to have a killer instinct and they're just feeding off each other right now. Our scoring is so balanced that any player could take over on any night, making us dangerous and unpredictable. We will not let up either. Expect us to close out the conference with two championships - I guarantee it!"

Big statements from Coach Borland as his team looks ahead to the final few games of the regular season. The OVC regular season is almost wrapped up, as EIU leads the conference by 3 games with 4 games to play. The Panthers only need to win 2 of 4 games to clinch, but I'm sure Coach Borland and his players will be looking for more.

The wins this week complete the season sweeps of both teams. Next week, EIU returns home to welcome Murray State before a revenge-added matchup with Samford. The Panthers knocked off Murray State by 17 but lost to Samford by 3.

Current Record: 20-4 (14-2 OVC)
Next Game: Murray State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU streak now at 8, clinches OVC championship
EIU Basketball News

EIU clinched their first OVC regular season championship ever thanks to 2 home wins this week to push their current winning streak to 8 games. The Panthers defeated Murray State 61-43 to complete the season sweep before avenging an earlier upset to Samford on Senior Night, winning 56-40. Freshman C Skip Maye collected a double-double against MSU while redshirt sophomore PG D'or Dupre led all scorers with 18 points against Samford.

Before the Samford game, EIU honored seniors PF Travis Brock, PF Aras Prato and SF Chas Cleveland. All three players walked onto the Panther program following head coach Kyle Borland's first year at the helm, and each player has contributed to the development of the program. Brock has been the most prominent player of the trio, averaging nearly 2 ppg and 2 rpg off the bench and appearing in 112 games over his career. Prato has averaged nearly 1 ppg and 1 rpg while appearing in 46 games, but has yet to play in a game this season. Cleveland also has not seen the court this season, but has averaged 1.2 ppg and nearly 1 rpg in his 39 career appearances.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 61
Murray State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 13 rebs
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 12 pts, 5/6 FG

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 56
Samford, 40

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 18 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts, 2/3 3PT
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 4 rebs, 2 stls

EIU will finish out the regular season on the road, as they first travel to take on Jacksonville State before meeting up with SE Missouri State. The Panthers beat JSU by 22 in their first meeting and destroyed SEMO by 35 earlier.

Current Record: 22-4 (16-2 OVC) *Clinched OVC regular season title*
Next Game: EIU @ Jacksonville State

[Preo32]

Nice end to the regular season

[kblu54]

EIU sweetens the pot with 2 more wins, pushes streak to double digits
EIU Basketball News

EIU kept up their winning ways as they closed out the regular season this week, sweeping both OVC contests on the road to push their current winning streak to 10 games. The Panthers knocked off Jacksonville State 57-51 before hounding SE Missouri State 66-50.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 57
Jacksonville State, 51

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 19 pts, 4 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 13 rebs, 10/13 FT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
SE Missouri State, 50

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 10 pts, 3 rebs, 5 asts
Skip Maye, C --- 9 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

Coach Borland:
"Great way to end the regular season. We clinched the OVC title early and now we're just focused on winning, period. I never seen the guys have so much fun. It's all smiles right now at EIU, and we are looking to claim that OVC Tournament title."

Coach Borland and the Panthers earn the #1 seed in the OVC Tournament thanks to their regular season championship, and will face #8 seed Eastern Kentucky in the 1st round. EKU has given EIU a run in both matchups so far this season, losing both by a total of 9 points. With the streak the Panthers are on though, an upset looks unlikely.

The final OVC standings and the 1st round matchups are as follows:

OVC Standings
Note: OVC record in ()

1) Eastern Illinois --- 24-4 (18-2)
2) Tennessee Tech --- 21-9 (14-6)
3) Murray State --- 15-12 (11-9)
4) SE Missouri State --- 13-14 (11-9)
5) Austin Peay --- 11-15 (11-9)
6) Tennessee State --- 11-14 (10-10)
7) Tennessee-Martin --- 12-14 (9-11)
8) Eastern Kentucky --- 9-16 (9-11)
9) Samford --- 7-21 (7-13)
10) Morehead State --- 7-20 (6-14)
11) Jacksonville State --- 5-21 (4-16)

OVC Tournament

First Round

#1 Eastern Illinois
#8 Eastern Kentucky

#4 SE Missouri State
#5 Austin Peay

#3 Murray State
#6 Tennessee State

#2 Tennessee Tech
#7 Tennessee-Martin

Can the Panthers keep up their 10-game winning streak and make a run for the OVC Tournament title and the automatic NCAA Tournament berth?

Current Record: 24-4 (18-2 OVC) *OVC regular season champions*
Next Game: #1 EIU vs. #8 Eastern Kentucky (1st Round --- OVC Tournament)

[Deuce2223]

Congrats on winning the conference title. 24 wins and hopefully a few more in the tourney, should get you a decent seed.

[kblu54]

EIU holds off frisky #8 seed, moves on to semis
EIU Basketball News

EIU held off a very dangerous and hungry Eastern Kentucky team in the 1st round of the OVC Tournament, breaking a late tie wide open and collecting a 65-58 victory. EKU had lost two close games to the Panthers during the regular season and was poised to pull an upset, but thanks to freshman SG Jacob McDaniel's 20 points off the bench, EIU was able to sneak away to the semifinals.

Final Score:
#1 Eastern Illinois, 65
#8 Eastern Kentucky, 58

EIU Top Performers:
Jacob McDaniel, SG --- 20 pts, 3/5 3PT
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 7 asts, 2 stls

The Panthers move on to face #5 seed Austin Peay, who upset #4 seed SE Missouri State in their 1st round matchup. EIU swept AP during the regular season.

OVC Tournament

First Round

#1 Eastern Illinois, 65
#8 Eastern Kentucky

#5 Austin Peay, 57
#4 SE Missouri State, 46

#3 Murray State, 64
#6 Tennessee State, 44

#7 Tennessee-Martin, 70
#2 Tennessee Tech, 64

Current Record: 25-4 (19-2 OVC)
Next Game: #1 EIU vs. #5 Austin Peay (Semifinal --- OVC Tournament)

[kblu54]

EIU manhandles Austin Peay, moves onto finals
EIU Basketball News

EIU dominated Austin Peay in the OVC semifinals, holding them to only 18% from the field in a 61-38 thrashing. It was a balanced attack for EIU, as PG D'or Dupre led the Panthers with 9 points.

Final Score:
#1 Eastern Illinois, 61
#5 Austin Peay, 38

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 9 pts, 3 rebs, 6 asts
Rod Bobik, SF --- 8 pts, 7 rebs

The Panthers advance to the OVC finals to meet #3 seed Murray State. EIU swept MSU by an average of 17.5 points during the regular season.

OVC Tournament

Semifinals

#1 Eastern Illinois, 61
#5 Austin Peay, 38

#3 Murray State, 58
#7 Tennessee-Martin, 41

Current Record: 26-4 (20-2 OVC)
Next Game: #1 EIU vs. #3 Murray State (Final --- OVC Tournament)

[kblu54]

EIU going Dancing following OVC final win over Murray State
EIU Basketball News

EIU is going back to the Big Dance after sealing up the OVC Tournament title with a win over #3 seed Murray State, 66-55. The Panthers' balanced offensive attack and tenacious defense tore holes in the Racers' gameplan and built an insurmountable lead.

The win pairs the OVC Tournament championship with their regular season title, and also pushes their current winning streak to an amazing 13 straight games. It is the 2nd Tournament title for EIU and head coach Kyle Borland in the last 3 years, despite missing the Tournament last season.

Final Score:
#1 Eastern Illinois, 66
#3 Murray State, 55

EIU Top Performers:
Iman Dearman, PF --- 10 pts, 6 rebs, 5/6 FG
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 10 pts, 2 rebs, 2 asts

The Panthers will enter the Tournament with an impressive 27-4 record and an outstanding winning streak of 13 games. Any team they will face in the 1st round will be in for a tough game. EIU's seeding and opponent will be announced soon.

Current Record: 27-4 (21-2 OVC)
*OVC Tournament Champions*
*Automatic NCAA Tournament Berth*
Next Game: TBD --- NCAA Tournament

[Preo32]

nice win to get to the tourney. im predicting a 7 seed, but maybe a 6. i ahd a similar record with Long Island and i was a 6 seed

[Deuce2223]

Congrtas on the tourney win. I hopefully you can land a #7 seed. 8 or 9 would suck having to go against #1 in the 2nd round.

[kblu54]

EIU gets tough draw with #14 seed, will face defending national champs
EIU Basketball News

The NCAA committee was not very nice to the 27-4 Eastern Illinois Panthers this season, granting them a surprisingly-low #14 seed in the West Region. Two years ago, EIU made the tournament as a #11 seed despite having an 18-14 record.

Their opponent also seems to be a surprise - the Panthers will take on #3 seed and the defending national champions in the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks will be looking to reclaim the title they won, whereas the Panthers are wondering: Where's the respect?

"I am extremely disappointed in the seeding," Coach Borland stated following the bracket announcement. "I realize our non-conference schedule wasn't as tough as past years, but we did beat a tough LSU team and we currently hold the best record in the NCAA. I don't know what the committee was thinking."

The Panthers also beat Army in the season opener and Loyola (IL). Army enters the tournament field as a #15 seed and Loyola (IL) appears at #13. But the big question is, can the Panthers prove they deserve more respect by upsetting the Ducks?

"Despite the low seed, we still come into the tournament on a 13-game winning streak, which makes us one of the most dangerous teams in the field," Coach Borland stated. "We are extremely excited to prove our worth and take out the defending champs right away. I believe in our team and I am looking forward to competing with such a formidable opponent."

The winner of the EIU/Oregon game will face the winner of #6 seed Villanova and #11 seed Vanderbilt.

Here is the remainder of the bracket matchups:

East Region

#1 Duke
#16 UMKC

#8 Saint Mary's
#9 UNLV

#4 Saint Louis
#13 San Diego

#5 Washington
#12 Robert Morris

#3 Memphis
#14 Stephen F. Austin

#6 Wake Forest
#11 Texas

#7 Nevada
#10 N.C. State

#2 Alabama
#15 UC-Riverside

South Region

#1 Syracuse
#16 Kennesaw State

#8 Hofstra
#9 Bradley

#4 Arizona
#13 Loyola(IL)

#5 Providence
#12 Middle Tennessee State

#3 Illinois
#14 Kent State

#6 North Carolina
#11 Iowa State

#7 Boston College
#10 Kentucky

#2 UCLA
#15 Florida A&M

Midwest Region

#1 Michigan State
#16 Mississippi Valley State

#8 Florida State
#9 UTEP

#4 Marquette
#13 Siena

#5 Kansas
#12 George Mason

#3 Xavier
#14 Yale

#6 Houston
#11 Ohio State

#7 Connecticut
#10 San Diego State

#2 Texas Tech
#15 Coastal Carolina

West Region

#1 Tennessee
#16 UMBC

#8 South Carolina
#9 Charlotte

#4 Miami(FL)
#13 Idaho State

#5 St. Joseph's
#12 Southern Illinois

#3 Oregon
#14 Eastern Illinois

#6 Villanova
#11 Vanderbilt

#7 Stanford
#10 Rhode Island

#2 Texas A&M
#15 Army

The Panthers will hopefully look to continue their impressive season against the mighty Ducks.

Current Record: 27-4
Next Game: #14 EIU vs. #3 Oregon (1st Round --- NCAA Tournament)

[Preo32]

that is bull. In my Long Island legacy i went 30-4 (20-3 or so in the conference) and was a 6. I expected a single-digit number with your record, cuz my nonconference schedule wasnt that difficult as well. This game is weird sometimes.

[Deuce2223]

Yeah you got screwed. I don't understand that one at all. I think any thing else would've been better then what you got.

[kblu54]

EIU proves worth, upset Oregon in 1st round
EIU Basketball News

EIU sent a message to the NCAA committee, proving that they were worthy of a better seed by upsetting the defending national champions in the 1st round in dominating fashion, 69-51. Star redshirt sophomore PG D'or Dupre led the way, leading all scorers with 17 points while dishing out 7 assists as the Panthers led 37-23 at the half and didn't allow a comeback this time.

In EIU's previous appearance in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Kyle Borland, they squandered away an 13-point halftime lead and lost. This time around, they made a statement to the entire nation and are looking for their 1st Sweet Sixteen appearance ever. The win over Oregon was the Panthers' first win in the NCAA Tournament ever. Before that, they were 0-3 in the Tournament, including 0-1 under Coach Borland.

Final Score:
#14 Eastern Illinois, 69
#3 Oregon, 51

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 17 pts, 3 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 11 pts, 9 rebs, 5/5 FG

EIU's chances for the Sweet Sixteen look promising as they will face #11 seed Vanderbilt in the 2nd round. Vanderbilt upset #6 seed Villanova 75-69 in their 1st round matchup. The rest of the 1st round results follow:

East Region

First Round

#1 Duke, 72
#16 UMKC, 51

#8 Saint Mary's, 68
#9 UNLV, 50

#13 San Diego, 59
#4 Saint Louis, 54

#5 Washington, 70
#12 Robert Morris, 62

#3 Memphis, 89
#14 Stephen F. Austin, 78

#11 Texas, 88
#6 Wake Forest, 74

#7 Nevada, 64
#10 N.C. State, 62

#15 UC-Riverside, 71
#2 Alabama, 66

South Region

First Round

#1 Syracuse, 79
#16 Kennesaw State, 56

#9 Bradley, 69
#8 Hofstra, 65

#4 Arizona, 66
#13 Loyola (IL), 57

#5 Providence, 72
#12 Middle Tennessee State, 66

#14 Kent State, 72
#3 Illinois, 67

#6 North Carolina, 82
#11 Iowa State, 77

#10 Kentucky, 62
#7 Boston College, 52

#2 UCLA, 88
#15 Florida A&M, 50

Midwest Region

First Round

#1 Michigan State, 91
#16 Mississippi Valley State, 42

#9 UTEP, 63
#8 Florida State, 56

#4 Marquette, 74
#13 Siena, 46

#5 Kansas, 69
#12 George Mason, 59

#3 Xavier, 65
#14 Yale, 51

#11 Ohio State, 63
#6 Houston, 53

#7 Connecticut, 73
#10 San Diego State, 65

#2 Texas Tech, 64
#15 Coastal Carolina, 44

West Region

First Round

#1 Tennessee, 59
#16 UMBC, 52

#9 Charlotte, 70
#8 South Carolina, 54

#4 Miami (FL), 69
#13 Idaho State, 43

#12 Southern Illinois, 62
#5 St. Joseph's, 58

#14 Eastern Illinois, 69
#3 Oregon, 51

#11 Vanderbilt, 75
#6 Villanova, 69

#7 Stanford, 70
#10 Rhode Island, 60

#2 Texas A&M, 67
#15 Army, 53

The Panthers will look to pull another upset against Vanderbilt.

Current Record: 28-4
Next Game: #14 EIU vs. #11 Vanderbilt (2nd Round --- NCAA Tournament)

[kblu54]

EIU bows out in 2nd round to Vanderbilt, finish with school-record wins
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't stick with a hot Vanderbilt team, bowing out of the NCAA Tournament in the 2nd round at the hands of a 71-56 defeat. Vanderbilt jumped out to a 27-10 lead and didn't relinquish their hold on the Panthers.

EIU finishes the season at an impressive 28-5, shattering the former school record for wins in a season. The former record was 22 wins, set during the 1979-1980 season. Head coach Kyle Borland earns his first NCAA Tournament win (also the first for EIU) and is now over .500 in his career record. Coach Borland is now 77-72 in 5 seasons at EIU.

Final Score:
#11 Vanderbilt, 71
#14 Eastern Illinois, 56

EIU Top Performers:
Iman Dearman, PF --- 15 pts, 7 rebs, 6/7 FG
Skip Maye, C --- 11 pts, 5 rebs

Coach Borland:
"No complaints from this guy. I am so proud of these guys and what they've accomplished this season that I cannot bring myself to even conjure up even one negative. I don't think there is a small conference coach in the world that would complain about a school-record 28 wins and a 1st-round NCAA Tournament upset over last year's national champs. I am extremely proud of this season, and I am already looking forward to next season. The entire squad is coming back!"

EIU's tremendous season may be over but the NCAA Tournament continues. The 2nd round matchups were exciting and we now feature a strong Sweet Sixteen.

East Region

Second Round

#1 Duke, 68
#8 Saint Mary's, 47

#5 Washington, 69
#13 San Diego, 61

#3 Memphis, 68
#11 Texas, 57

#7 Nevada, 75
#15 UC-Riverside, 56

South Region

Second Round

#1 Syracuse, 60
#9 Bradley, 55

#5 Providence, 74
#4 Arizona, 71

#6 North Carolina, 74
#14 Kent State, 59

#2 UCLA, 60
#10 Kentucky, 51

Midwest Region

Second Round

#1 Michigan State, 95
#9 UTEP, 69

#5 Kansas, 95
#4 Marquette, 60

#11 Ohio State, 66
#3 Xavier, 60

#7 Connecticut, 62
#2 Texas Tech, 54

West Region

Second Round

#9 Charlotte, 65
#1 Tennessee, 63

#4 Miami (FL), 61
#12 Southern Illinois, 57

#11 Vanderbilt, 71
#14 Eastern Illinois, 56

#7 Stanford, 53
#2 Texas A&M, 46

[Preo32]

tough loss, but a good season overall

[kblu54]

East Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Duke, 70
#5 Washington, 40

#3 Memphis, 90
#7 Nevada, 49

Regional Final

#1 Duke, 62
#3 Memphis, 60

South Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Syracuse, 62
#5 Providence, 41

#6 North Carolina, 50
#2 UCLA, 44

Regional Final

#1 Syracuse, 80
#6 North Carolina, 58

Midwest Region

Sweet Sixteen

#1 Michigan State, 81
#5 Kansas, 71

#7 Connecticut, 53
#11 Ohio State, 37

Regional Final

#7 Connecticut, 61
#1 Michigan State, 46

West Region

Sweet Sixteen

#4 Miami (FL), 65
#9 Charlotte, 54

#7 Stanford, 71
#11 Vanderbilt, 54

Regional Final

#4 Miami (FL), 75
#7 Stanford, 47

Thus the 2011-2012 Final Four has been set. Only two #1 seeds qualified, and Miami (FL) returns again. Last year they made it as a #6 seed.

East Regional Champion
#1 Duke Blue Devils
VS.
West Regional Champion
#4 Miami (FL) Hurricanes

South Regional Champion
#1 Syracuse Orange
VS.
Midwest Regional Champion
#7 Connecticut Huskies

[kblu54]

NCAA Final Four

National Semifinals

#4 Miami (FL), 60
#1 Duke, 49

#1 Syracuse, 60
#7 Connecticut, 44

National Championship

#4 Miami (FL), 70
#1 Syracuse, 58

The Miami (FL) Hurricanes have won the 2011-2012 National Championship.

NIT Final Four

Semifinals

Rice, 54
Pittsburgh, 53

George Washington, 70
Baylor, 66

Final

George Washington Colonels, 65
Rice Owls, 55

The George Washington Colonels have won the NIT Championship, their 2nd in the last 4 years.

On the national level, the 2011-2012 awards have been announced.

Player of the Year: Lunzaya Adams, SF, Oklahoma State
2K Sports Player of the Year: Jud Randolph, SG, Providence
Coach of the Year: Ronnie Arrow, Syracuse

Back at EIU, the awards from the annual end-of-season OVC banquet will be announced along with the stats from the Panthers' 5th year under head coach Kyle Borland. EIU set a new school record with 28 wins and made the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament.

[kblu54]

EIU sweeps OVC awards following record-setting season
EIU Basketball News

EIU took home all the major awards at the annual end-of-season OVC banquet this week, capping a record-setting season that saw the Panthers pull in an impressive 28 wins, the OVC regular season and Tournament titles and an upset of the Oregon Ducks in the 1st round.

Star PG D'or Dupre topped off an impressive season with the OVC Player of the Year award. Dupre, who missed all of last season's 10-17 campaign, came back from a torn ACL to average 9 ppg while dishing out 5.4 apg. Dupre was also a defensive force, nabbing 1.5 spg. Dupre will officially be a junior next season despite it being his 4th year at EIU.

Stud freshman C Skip Maye brought in the OVC Freshman of the Year award. An impressive inside presence, Maye formed a solid tag team with fellow freshman C J.D. Lovelace to control the paint for the Panthers. Maye averaged 9 ppg while snatching 6.6 rpg, and supplied good interior defense with 1.1 bpg.

And of course, EIU head coach Kyle Borland was honored with his 1st OVC Coach of the Year award. Coach Borland's 5th season has been his best so far after leading the Panthers to a school-record 28 wins. Coach Borland currently holds a 77-72 career record (.517 winning %) and has led EIU to 2 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Surprisingly, there was not much diversity for EIU on the All-OVC squads. Dupre was the only Panther on the 1st Team, while fantastic freshman centers Maye and Lovelace were both named to the 2nd Team and the Freshman Team. Junior SF Rod Bobik was surprisingly excluded from all squads, despite earning 2nd Team honors last season.

When asked about whether he was returning to EIU next season, Coach Borland responded that he "did not receive any significant offers" and noted the minimal movement in the coaching carousel. Borland also stated that he was "excited for the promising next season" as he has all of the most important pieces from this past season's puzzle. The Panthers return every starter and their entire bench minus one, but they will bring in an excellent 4* recruit that will solidify their frontline.

EIU will also see two new assistant coaches on the sidelines next season. Former assistants C.W. Guzman and Mike Gillian have left for head coaching jobs, using the Panthers' success as a springboard. Guzman, who's been with EIU for 2 seasons, was recently hired by Sacred Heart to take over the helm. Gillian, who only served under Coach Borland for this past season, was named the head coach of Georgia Southern.

In their absence, Coach Borland has hired two new promising assistants in Doug Davalos and Ernest Locklier. Both bring an extensive knowledge of the game and Locklier is known for his charisma and great recruiting record.

Year 5 Individual Stats

Starters

Skip Maye, C (Frosh) --- 8.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.1 bpg --- 38.0 FG%, 67.8 FT%

J.D. Lovelace, C (Frosh) --- 9.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg --- 34.6 FG%, 69.5 FT%

Rod Bobik, SF (Junior) --- 8.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.4 spg --- 42.7 FG%, 34.7 3PT%

D'or Dupre, PG (Soph.) --- 9.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.5 spg --- 35.5 FG%, 32.6 3PT%, 78.1 FT%

Lloyd Giles, SG (Junior) --- 6.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.3 spg --- 34.8 FG%, 31.6 3PT%, 84.6 FT%

Bench

M.C. Watkins, SF (Soph.) --- 5.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg --- 45.5 FG%, 47.9 3PT%, 87.2 FT%

Iman Dearman, PF (Soph.) --- 5.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg --- 40.2 FG%, 75.0 3PT%

Jacob McDaniel, SG (Frosh) --- 4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.5 apg --- 41.1 FG%, 41.0 3PT%, 76.1 FT%

Mario Braun, SG (Frosh) --- 3.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.5 apg --- 38.8 FG%, 41.9 3PT%

Travis Brock, PF (Senior) --- 1.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg --- 42.3 FG%

Maury Holden, PG (Soph.) --- 1.4 ppg --- 27.9 FG%, 70.5 FT%

Year 5 Team Stats
Note: OVC rank in ()

PPG: 64.5 (1st)
RPG: 36.3 (1st)
APG: 16.5 (1st)
SPG: 7.2 (1st)
BPG: 5.6 (1st)
FG%: 38.1 (1st)
3PT%: 35.1 (1st)
FT%: 70.2 (1st)

The Panthers had only one scholarship to offer and they pulled in a big name to help push EIU to a level they've never seen.

Ryan Morandais, C --- 4*
Chicago, IL
(#83 Overall, #13 C)

Morandais is a very promising player and will make an immediate impact. Morandais will compete for one of the starting frontcourt positions and will solidify arguably the best frontcourt in the OVC, joining Maye, Lovelace and backup Iman Dearman. Morandais has great moves around the basket and is one of the more athletic big men.

Overall, year 6 of the Coach Borland era looks extremely promising for EIU, as they look to improve on a school-record 28 wins and possibly a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.

[Deuce2223]

Your team looks sweet. Very nice land in Morandais. Good luck finding playing time for everyone.

[blue_apocalypse]

Yeah! UCR advancing to the second round of the NCAAs! Now that is what I like to see. Anyway, tough loss to Vandy but like Deuce said your team is looking solid for another run into the tourney

[kblu54]

thanks for all the support guys... I really like that I have some loyal followers, makes me motivated to continue the legacy...

I'm really looking forward to year 6. I will post the roster, schedule and top 25 soon.

[kblu54]

EIU reveals roster and schedule, look forward to bigger year
EIU Basketball News

The future is bright at EIU as they seem to be only able to go up as they look forward to their 6th season under head coach Kyle Borland. In 5 seasons, Coach Borland has accumulated a 77-72 career record and has led the Panthers to 2 NCAA Tournament appearances in the past 3 years. EIU hit their peak as a program last season as they broke the school record for wins with 28 (previous record was 22), a record that had stood for 32 years, and upset Oregon in the first round despite entering the Tournament as a #14 seed.

Year 6 looks extremely promising, as the Panthers return every starter, their main nucleus off the bench and add a Top-100 ranked center to an already dangerous lineup. Is 30 wins and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in the cards for Coach Borland and EIU?

Starters

C - #53 Skip Maye --- 7'0, 243 Sophomore --- Nashville, TN
C - #52 J.D. Lovelace --- 6'10, 239 Sophomore --- Arlington, TX
SF - #15 Rod Bobik --- 6'7, 238 Senior --- Louisville, KY
PG - #1 D'or Dupre --- 6'3, 192 Junior --- Roanoke, VA
SG - #23 Lloyd Giles --- 6'6, 206 Senior --- Queens, NY

Bench

#10 M.C. Watkins, SF --- 6'4, 193 Junior --- Louisville, KY
#6 Jacob McDaniel, SG --- 6'5, 201 Sophomore --- St. Cloud, MN
#5 Ryan Morandais, C --- 7'0, 220 Freshman --- Chicago, IL
#20 Mario Braun, SG --- 6'5, 194 Sophomore --- Modesto, CA
#14 Iman Dearman, PF --- 6'11, 271 Junior --- Hampton, VA
#9 Maury Holden, PG --- 6'3, 201 Junior --- Washington, DC
#40 Wendell Coleman, PF --- 6'11, 249 Senior --- Chicago, IL

Reserves

#8 Pat Carlisle, SG --- 6'4, 188 Senior --- Naperville, IL
#42 Rans Benjamin, PF --- 6'8, 239 Freshman --- Santa Clarita, CA
#34 Sollie Sood, SF --- 6'8, 222 Freshman --- St. Paul, MN

The Panthers are poised and experienced, loaded with talent and ready to make some more noise to build upon the mark they made last season. It has been an interesting transition for EIU under Coach Borland. Remember that only 5 years ago the Panthers finished dead last in the OVC and failed to reach double-digit wins. Now, EIU is one of the hottest growing programs in the NCAA and are arguably the best small conference school.

EIU has compiled a stronger schedule compared to last season, which should hopefully boost their RPI and possibly their seeding if they qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the Panthers were shunned and disrespected by the NCAA committee, who ignored their 28 wins and OVC titles and granted them with a disappointing #14 seed. EIU proved they deserved better by upsetting #3 seed Oregon before a 2nd-round defeat, but it seemed that the lack of quality opponents hurt EIU's credibility.

2012-2013 Schedule
Red = OVC game
Green = Tournament game

@ South Carolina
Stetson
Campbell (1st Round --- South Padre Island Tourney B)
@ Memphis
@ Murray State
Tennessee-Martin
@ Northern Iowa
Ball State
@ #19 Illinois
Tennessee Tech
@ Florida Atlantic
@ Jacksonville State
Samford
Morehead State
@ SE Missouri State
Tennessee State
Jacksonville State
@ Samford
@ Austin Peay
@ Tennessee State
SE Missouri State
Eastern Kentucky
@ Morehead State
Austin Peay
Murray State (Senior Night)
@ Eastern Kentucky
@ Tennessee Tech
@ Tennessee-Martin

The Panthers will renew their rivalry with a tough Memphis team and will travel in-state to meet with power program Illinois, ranked #19 in the preseason poll. In EIU's 2nd year under Coach Borland, they upset then-#1 Memphis in the season opener, but dropped the rematch the following season. The rubber match should be interesting.

The preseason Top 25 poll features an interesting group, including none of last year's Final Four participants in the Top 5 and only 2 (Duke & Syracuse) in the Top 10. The defending national champs in Miami (FL) appear at #20.

Preseason Top 25

1) North Carolina
2) Michigan State
3) UCLA
4) Arizona
5) Marquette
6) Duke
7) Kansas
8) Villanova
9) Syracuse
10) Washington
11) Pittsburgh
12) Louisville
13) Tennessee
14) Connecticut
15) Providence
16) Alabama
17) West Virginia
18) Wisconsin
19) Illinois
20) Miami (FL)
21) Kentucky
22) Texas Tech
23) N.C. State
24) Saint Louis
25) LSU

[Preo32]

couple tough nonconference games, but i still see about 24 regular season wins

[Deuce2223]

Still disappointed to not see Eastern venture out west to take on some westcoast basketball. :(

I love the addition of playing Illinois. Personally for me I have always found it helpful to play the other teams in your state. That way if you dominate them you can call yourself the best team in Illinois. So for that reason I would love to see you build up a rivalary with Southern Illinois,Northern Illinois,Western Illinois and also being how you are landing some of your instate talent right there in Chicagao, start playing Depaul. Just adding SIU, Depaul and Illinois every year should upgrade your nonconference.

One thing I have noticed about scheduling in the OVC is you have to play alot of non-conference games early because of the way they do the conference games which sorta sucks. I messed around with a legacy at Tennessee Martin before I changed my rosters. Now that thay have added Hudson you can't use them in a closed legacy.

[kblu54]

EIU drops tough season opener
EIU Basketball News

A repeat of last year's 5-0 start was not to be seen this season, as EIU kicked off their 6th season under head coach Kyle Borland with a tough loss, falling 65-59 on the road to South Carolina. The Panthers hung tough with th Game***** and continually traded leads, but a late 6-0 run with 5 minutes left gave South Carolina just the room they needed.

Final Score:
South Carolina, 65
Eastern Illinois, 59

EIU Top Performers:
Ryan Morandais, C --- 11 pts, 8 rebs, 2 stls
Skip Maye, C --- 10 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks

EIU looks to get win #1 next week against a lowly Stetson team.

Current Record: 0-1
Next Game: Stetson @ EIU

[blue_apocalypse]

Game***** <----Makes me laugh everytime :rotfl: Stupid language filters

[Preo32]

yea for me y player ****ins is filtered, but i use the color thing to change it see.

****ins
****ins

[kblu54]

EIU nearly blows big lead, wins in OT
EIU Basketball News

EIU almost blew a 14-point lead but managed to force overtime and eventually defeat Stetson at home, 74-72. The Panthers were up 62-48 with 8 minutes to go, but allowed Stetson to crawl back into the game and eventually take a 66-64 lead with under a minute to play. Luckily, sophomore C Skip Maye's bank shot with 13 seconds left sent the game into OT tied at 66.

In the extra period, both teams fought hard, but sophomore C J.D. Lovelace nailed 2 free throws with 6 seconds left, which proved to be the difference after Stetson's desperation three rimmed out.

Final Score --- OT:
Eastern Illinois, 74
Stetson, 72

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 10 pts, 12 rebs, 2 blks
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 13 pts, 3 rebs, 2 blks

The Panthers hit the road to compete in the South Padre Island Tournament (Bracket B). Their 1st round opponent will be a major underdog in Campbell. The winner will face the winner of North Carolina A&T and American.

Current Record: 1-1
Next Game: EIU vs. Campbell (1st Round --- South Padre Island Tourney B)

[Preo32]

closer than i woulda ever expeced

[Deuce2223]

Ditto. Nice win. Got to love those close games though.

[kblu54]

hey guys... just letting you know I probably won't be updating for a few days... I'm in the process of graduating from college and moving into an apartment so I won't have internet access for a few days...

Don't worry, EIU will be back ASAP!

[Deuce2223]

hey guys... just letting you know I probably won't be updating for a few days... I'm in the process of graduating from college and moving into an apartment so I won't have internet access for a few days...

Don't worry, EIU will be back ASAP!


No Problem. Looks like its going to be a slow week for everyone.

Congrats on graduating and the move.

[blue_apocalypse]

I second that congratulations on graduating. What school are you graduating from?

[kblu54]

Guess who's back?

Updates tonight

[kblu54]

EIU rolls Campbell in Tourney opening round
EIU Basketball News

EIU made a statement in the 1st round of the South Padre Island Tourney, blowing out Campbell 89-61. The Panthers were led by their starting backcourt tandem of junior PG D'or Dupre and senior SG Lloyd Giles, who combined for 31 points.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 89
Campbell, 61

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 16 pts, 4 asts, 2 blks
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 15 pts, 2 stls, 2/4 3PT

EIU will face North Carolina A&T in the Tourney final.

Current Record: 2-1
Next Game: EIU vs. N.C. A&T (Final --- South Padre Island Tourney B)

[kblu54]

EIU claims Tourney title with 3rd straight win
EIU Basketball News

EIU snatched the South Padre Island Tourney B title this week in dominating fashion, crushing North Carolina A&T 78-55 in the final. The win was the Panthers' 3rd straight win and is the 2nd in-season tournament title in a row. Last year, EIU claimed the 100 Club Classic title with 2 nail-biting victories.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 78
N.C. A&T, 55

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 9 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 2 rebs, 2 asts, 6/6 FT

The Panthers will stay on the road and will have to beat a tough opponent to keep their current win streak alive. EIU travels to Tennessee to take on #22 Memphis in the rubber match between both programs. A few years ago, the Panthers upset then-#1 Memphis in the season opener, but Memphis got revenge the following season in a tough battle. This game should be a good one, as both teams want the bragging rights.

Current Record: 3-1
Next Game: EIU @ #22 Memphis

[blue_apocalypse]

Big game coming up! Good luck!

[kblu54]

Poor shooting, Memphis late run dooms EIU
EIU Basketball News

It was another tough battle in the recent rivalry between Memphis and EIU, but it was the #22-ranked Tigers that pulled out the victory thanks to a late scoring surge and a poor shooting effort by the Panthers.

EIU tied the score at 46 with only 6 minutes to play, but Memphis closed the game with a 15-4 run to put the Panthers away. EIU shot only 27% from the field for the game, including going 1-13 down the stretch.

Final Score:
#22 Memphis, 61
Eastern Illinois, 50

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 10 pts, 10 rebs
Ryan Morandais, C --- 6 pts, 11 rebs

The Panthers will open OVC play next week on the road, taking on Murray State. EIU went 3-0 against the Racers last season, including a 66-55 victory in the OVC final that granted the Panthers their 2nd NCAA Tournament berth in 3 years.

Current Record: 3-2
Next Game: EIU @ Murray State (OVC opener)

[Preo32]

tough loss

[kblu54]

EIU upset in OVC opener
EIU Basketball News

EIU could not pull out the win in their OVC opener this week, dropping a 68-59 decision to Murray State. The Panthers had won their last 3 conference openers but lost the struggle to the Racers on the road.

Junior star PG D'or Dupre did all he could in trying to bring home the victory but he did not get the help he needed. EIU and Murray State traded the lead many times during the course of the game, but a late 5-0 run by Murray State gave them just the edge they needed.

Final Score:
Murray State, 68
Eastern Illinois, 59

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 17 pts, 4 asts
Ryan Morandais, C --- 7 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts

Interview with Coach Borland following the loss...

Reporter: Coach, last year your team got off to a hot 5-0 start and dominated your schedule. This season, your Panthers currently sit at 3-3 following this loss. Has your team lost its focus after having such an amazing season last year?

Coach Borland: I wouldn't say we've lost our focus, I'd say we're just getting used to the new rotation. We brought back everybody from last year but we threw in Morandais. Not saying that he is killing our team, but throwing in a new guy who's gotten lots of minutes and starts over guys from last year's team throws everybody's priorities and roles into semi-chaos. We're still learning but we are still a dangerous team. Murray State is a great program and we are not ashamed by this loss. It only motivates us to get better on a daily basis.

Reporter: Coach, after last season's success, do you feel more pressure from the EIU administration and boosters to win?

Coach Borland: Not really, but failing to achieve our goals this year after last year would look bad for any coach. The administration and the boosters have put their faith in me, my players and the program and I am not afraid of anything. This slow start is not a sign of the season to come. We are just adjusting and we will turn it around soon.

Reporter: Thank you Coach.

Coach Borland and the Panthers will look to even their OVC record next week at home, as they will welcome Tennessee-Martin to Lantz Arena. Last season, EIU waxed UT-Martin in both contests by an average of 19 points, including last season's OVC opener victory.

Current Record: 3-3 (0-1 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee-Martin @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU back on track with solid win
EIU Basketball News

EIU evened its OVC record with a 72-55 home victory over visiting Tennessee-Martin. Junior PG D'or Dupre turned in another solid performance as the Panthers never trailed and led by as much as 18.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 72
Tennessee-Martin, 55

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 16 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 2/4 3PT
Jacob McDaniel, SG --- 12 pts, 2 asts, 5/8 FG

EIU will put their OVC schedule temporarily on hold as they will compete in 3 straight non-conference matchups. The Panthers travel to Iowa to take on another Panther squad in Northern Iowa from the Missouri Valley. EIU has not beaten a MVC team yet, including last year's tough overtime loss to Illinois State.

Current Record: 4-3 (1-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Northern Iowa

[kblu54]

EIU drops road game
EIU Basketball News

EIU's losing streak against the Missouri Valley was increased to 3 as the Panthers dropped a tough 61-51 decision to Northern Iowa. The loss puts EIU back at .500 for the season but their non-conference record drops to 3-2.

Final Score:
Northern Iowa, 61
Eastern Illinois, 51

EIU Top Performers:
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 12 pts, 6 rebs
D'or Dupre, PG --- 8 pts, 3 asts, 2 stls, 2/5 3PT

The Panthers return home next week to welcome Ball State to Lantz Arena. EIU is 2-0 against MAC teams under head coach Kyle Borland, their last victory coming on a 69-66 win over Akron in year 3.

Current Record: 4-4 (1-1 OVC)
Next Game: Ball State @ EIU

[kblu54]

Superior defense notches win for EIU
EIU Basketball News

EIU snatched a non-conference victory over Ball State at home this week, using some amazing defensive play to shut down their opponents in a 59-47 win. The Panthers held Ball State to only 21% shooting and forced 22 turnovers, including a season-high 13 steals.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 59
Ball State, 47

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 4 asts, 5 stls
Rod Bobik, SF --- 11 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls

EIU will hit the road for another tough non-conference road matchup, taking on in-state powerhouse Illinois. The Fighting Illini began the season ranked #19 but have recently dropped out of the Top 25.

Current Record: 5-4 (1-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Illinois

[kblu54]

EIU can't match up with Illinois, lose defensive battle
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't overcome a strong defensive effort by a superior-talented Illinois team despite playing good defense of their own, losing 59-49 on the road. The Panthers shot only 24% from the field and turned the ball over 16 times, including a season-high 7 turnovers from star PG D'or Dupre. 6th man junior SF M.C. Watkins paced EIU with 15 points off the bench, the 2nd time he's led the Panthers in scoring in the last 3 games. EIU lost both games when he was the leading scorer.

Final Score:
Illinois, 59
Eastern Illinois, 49

EIU Top Performers:
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 15 pts, 2 rebs, 2 asts
Ryan Morandais, C --- 7 pts, 7 rebs, 3 blks

Coach Borland: "We just can't seem to break this funk we're in. We should have taken at least 2 from the 4 tough non-conference teams we've played, but we have lost all 4. We need to get our act together and start playing Panther basketball like we know how, like we played all last season. We need to get a conference win next week and close out the non-conference schedule on a good note."

Coach Borland and the Panthers fall back to .500 on the season and see their non-conference record fall to .500 (4-4) as well. Last season, EIU finished 6-2 in non-conference action, including an overtime upset over LSU. Next week, the Panthers return home to welcome OVC foe Tennessee Tech before hitting the road for their final non-conference matchup at Florida Atlantic. EIU split with Tech last season.

Current Record: 5-5 (1-1 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee Tech @ EIU

[kblu54]

hey guys,

sorry I haven't updated in a while... I've taken up my Madden 08 franchise recently and i've had a busy schedule with work and everything...

Just letting you know I'm not going anywhere and I still follow everyone's legacies.

I will hopefully update sometime next week. I have a few games to report on so we shall see...

[kblu54]

EIU splits this week, looks ahead to OVC play
EIU Basketball News

EIU split this past week and finished up their non-conference schedule in the process, sneaking past Tennessee Tech on a buzzer beater but then dropping a 3-point decision to lowly Florida Atlantic.

Tech and EIU continued their recent rivalry with a hard-fought battle at Lantz Arena, including a wild final minute, in which the lead changed 5 times. The final change gave the Panthers the victory, as Rod Bobik's runner off the glass with no time remaining proved to be the difference.

EIU then laid an egg on the road in their final non-conference matchup, losing 51-48 to Florida Atlantic. The Panthers' had more shooting woes as they only shot 22% from the floor and was only 1 of 16 from behind the arc.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 58
Tennessee Tech, 57

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 11 pts, 10 rebs
D'or Dupre, PG --- 7 pts, 9 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls

Final Score:
Florida Atlantic, 51
Eastern Illinois, 48

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 10 pts, 3 rebs, 5 asts
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 11 pts, 7 rebs

Coach Borland, following the Florida Atlantic loss:
"Well, it's been a frustrating start to the season, but our non-conference worries are over and we can now concentrate on winning the OVC again. We are still working out some kinks but I feel with our focus on teams we have played and beaten before, we should be able to smooth out the rough edges and go on a big winning streak. I'm very excited for the rest of the season."

Coach Borland and the Panthers will look to begin their quest for a 2nd-straight regular season OVC championship next week on the road, as they visit Jacksonville State. EIU has won their last 8 games against JSU and are 8-2 against them under Coach Borland.

Current Record: 6-6 (2-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Jacksonville State

[kblu54]

Freshman's double-double leads EIU to victory
EIU Basketball News

Freshman C Ryan Morandais paced EIU with 14 points and 10 rebounds for his 1st career double-double as the Panthers dominated Jacksonville State on the road 60-49. Morandais was solid all game long as EIU built a strong lead and never trailed in the OVC matchup. Star PG D'or Dupre added 9 assists in the Panthers' 9th straight win over JSU.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 60
Jacksonville State, 49

EIU Top Performers:
Ryan Morandais, C --- 14 pts, 10 rebs
D'or Dupre, PG --- 5 pts, 9 asts, 3 stls

EIU returns home to Lantz Arena for two OVC contests next week, welcoming Samford and their slow-down tempo first before taking on Morehead State. The Panthers fell victim to Samford's style last season but managed to split the season series, while they swept MSU in close fashion, only averaging a 5.5 margin of victory.

Current Record: 7-6 (3-1 OVC)
Next Game: Samford @ EIU

[vols21]

good season going. keep it up

[FortKnox15]

i second that. you are doing some good things at EIU. I actually grew up in the town where SE Missouri State is located, so I'm gonna have to pull for them in your conference matchups :)

[kblu54]

EIU rolls twice this week at home
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up two huge home blowouts this week, dominating Samford 63-34 before thrashing Morehead State 72-43. It was a collective team effort this week for the Panthers, as all players chipped in extremely well.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 63
Samford, 34

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 16 pts, 7 rebs, 2 blks
Rod Bobik, SF --- 11 pts, 6 rebs, 2 stls, 2/2 3PT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 72
Morehead State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 13 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 4 rebs, 8 asts

EIU has a loaded week next week with 3 OVC matchups. The Panthers will hit the road first to take on SE Missouri State before returning home to welcome Tennessee State and a rematch with Jacksonville State. Last season, EIU swept both SEMO and TSU by an average of 25.0 pts and 36.0 pts, respectively. The Panthers have already beaten JSU earlier 60-49 on the road and looks to push their winning streak over JSU to 10.

Current Record: 9-6 (5-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ SE Missouri State

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Lovelace leads Panthers to push win streak to 6
EIU Basketball News

Sophomore C J.D. Lovelace turned in 3 great performances this week as EIU collected 3 OVC victories to push their current win streak to 6. Lovelace scored a game-high 21 points in the Panthers' 69-43 road win over SE Missouri State, before picking up 2 straight double-doubles in home blowouts over Tennessee State (79-42) and Jacksonville State (67-48). The win over JSU was EIU's 10 straight in the overall series.

For the week, Lovelace averaged 17.0 ppg and 8.7 rpg. On the season, he leads the Panthers in scoring at 10.2 ppg.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
SE Missouri State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 21 pts, 6 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 8 pts, 15 rebs

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 79
Tennessee State, 42

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 20 pts, 10 rebs, 2 stls
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 2/2 3PT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 67
Jacksonville State, 48

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 10 pts, 10 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 8 pts, 9 rebs, 2 blks

EIU will hit the road next week for 2 OVC games, first taking on Samford in a rematch before meeting up with Austin Peay for the teams' first matchup. The Panthers crushed Samford 63-34 at home earlier this season. EIU actually beat Austin Peay 3 times last season, winning both regular season matchups and then dominating AP in the 2nd round of the OVC Tournament 61-38.

Current Record: 12-6 (8-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Samford

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EIU completes sweep of Samford but ends winning streak
EIU Basketball News

EIU split this week in tough fashion on the road, first completing their season sweep of Samford before ending their winning streak at 7 games with a loss to Austin Peay. The Panthers struggled against both crowds this week, shooting a combined 28% from the field. EIU played poorly against Austin Peay, turning the ball over 18 times while shooting only 24% and allowing AP to go on a late 8-0 run to seal the upset.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 53
Samford, 44

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 2/4 3PT
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 57
Eastern Illinois, 49

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 12 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 9 pts, 9 rebs, 7/9 FT

EIU will stay on the road next week for a rematch with Tennessee State. The Panthers crushed TSU 79-42 in their first meeting and has won 3 straight games over TSU by an average of 36.3 points.

Current Record: 13-7 (9-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee State