2010-11 EIU Men's Basketball Schedule

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois has released the 2010-11 schedule for the Panther men's basketball team as announced by head coach Mike Miller. The Panthers posted a 19-12 record last season advancing to the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. It marked the first winning season for the program since 2001.

The Panthers will face a difficult slate to open the first six regular season games with only two contests at home in Lantz Arena. Following a Nov. 6 exhibition contest with Illinois College, EIU will open the regular season at home on Friday, Nov. 12 against South Dakota State. The Panthers will then play two straight on the road with games at Ball State and Loyola-Chicago. Following a quick stop at home for a game against IU South Bend on Nov. 20, EIU will sandwich games at Bradley and South Dakota State around the Thanksgiving Holiday.

The OVC schedule starts at home for EIU with Tennessee State and Austin Peay coming to town the first week of December. EIU was 11-7 in the OVC last year finishing in a tie for third-place in the league standings. Two more home games against Ball State on Dec. 8 and Western Illinois on Dec. 11 end the Panthers first semester schedule.

EIU will play a pair of road OVC games at Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State just prior to Christmas and then return to action on New Year's Eve with a game at Western Michigan. The first of five home games in January tips off on Jan. 3 against Anderson University.

The Panthers will continue OVC action the remainder of the schedule with the exception of a ESPNU Bracketbuster contest on the road on Feb. 19. The final home game for EIU will be on Tuesday, Feb. 15 against UT Martin. The Panthers end the regular season with the swing through Austin Peay and Tennessee State.

This season the OVC Tournament will take the top eight teams to Nashville with all games played at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The tournament tips off on Wednesday, March 2 with a new format in which teams seeded 5 through 8 will play on the opening night. Teams seeded 3 and 4 will not play until Thursday and teams seeded 1 and 2 receive automatic advancement to the OVC semifinals to played Friday night, March 4. The OVC Championship game is set for Saturday, March 5.

Season ticket information for EIU men's and women's basketball will be available in the coming weeks along with information on purchasing All-Session tickets to the OVC Tournament in Nashville.