EASTERN ILLINOIS at Indiana
Monday, Nov. 2  •  6 pm 
Bloomington, Ind.  •  Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall

GAME INFORMATION
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: BTN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: Indiana leads 3-0
LAST MEETING: @Indiana 90, EIU 55 on Nov. 10, 2024
NOTES: EIU Complete Game Notes

GAME 1
Eastern Illinois opens the 2026-27 season playing a member of the Big Ten Conference for the sixth time in the last seven years as the Panthers tip off against Indiana.  Last season the Panthers opened the year at Valparaiso after five straight season openers against the Big Ten (Illinois 3 times, Wisconsin and Northwestern).  The Panthers have opened eight of their last nine seasons against a Power Four Conference opponent.  This will mark the second time EIU has faced Indiana to open the basketball season, the other time was to tip off the 2015-16 season with No. 15 Indiana winning 88-49.   EIU's last season opening win was in the 2016-17 season with a win over Saint Francis (Ill.).

OVC PLAYERS TO WATCH
Eastern Illinois had two players named on the Ohio Valley Conference preseason players to watch list with returning sophomore guard Markus Blackwell and senior transfer Jaden Miller.  Blackwell is the Panthers leading returning scorer from last season with four double figure games to his credit.  He earned OVC Freshman of the Week honors one time during the season.  Miller is a transfer into the EIU program after spending three seasons at East Central University.  Last season Miller led the NCAA Division II ranks in assists per game averaging 8.3 per contest with 11 games with double figure assists, including a high of 14 against Oklahoma Baptist. 

ROSTER REVAMP
The transfer portal was in full effect once against for Eastern Illinois men's basketball as the Panthers return just four members from last year's roster.  Markus Blackwell and Andrew Austin both played just over 20 games for EIU last season with additional returners JT Elder and Shane Sims limited due to injury.  Elder played in just one game against Kentucky last season while Sims missed the entire season.   EIU has rebuilt its roster with five transfers from NAIA and NCAA Division II schools along with two junior college products and four high school players.

EARLY SEASON ROAD WARRIORS
Eastern Illinois men's basketball opens the 2026-27 season on the road with three straight games against Power Conference opponents (Indiana, Iowa, Notre Dame) and five of the first seven games against teams from the ACC, Big Ten and SEC.  The Panthers home opener will be November 11 against Blackburn College.  After the tough start on the road, the schedule does come back to the Panthers with mid-major and lower division/NAIA games from Thanksgiving through the start of Ohio Valley Conference play on December 31.

UP NEXT
Friday, November 6 at Iowa - 7:30 pm (Big Ten Network)