GAME NOTES | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS
Note: Due to contractual agreements with ESPNU, OVCSportsTV live video will not be available
CHARLESTON, Ill.--Normally the benefits of winning a conference game are pretty standard, helps in the standings, helps in tiebreaker scenarios, etc. For Morehead State men’s basketball, Thursday’s stakes are a little bit higher.
The Eagles (17-7; 11-2 OVC) head to Eastern Illinois with a OVC Tournament First Round home game on the line. The game, scheduled for 9:00 pm ET will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
Morehead State needs just one more win to clinch at least fourth place for the OVC Tournament and the coveted home game. Currently in second place, two games behind Murray State, the Eagles still have a shot at the top spot with a home date against the Racers looming at the end of the regular season.
Standing in the way Thursday is a determined Eastern Illinois team that is currently tied for fifth and within easy striking distance for third. The Panthers need to hold off Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State and leapfrog Austin Peay or Eastern Kentucky to get a home game.
Kenneth Faried earned his fifth OVC Player of the Week award for posting two double-doubles to spur the Eagles to a new two-game winning streak. He’s is currently averaging 17.2 points and 13.7 rebounds per game.
Demonte Harper and
Maze Stallworth are both now averaging over 12 points per game.
Tyler Laser and Jeremy Granger lead the Panthers with 14.0 and 10.0 points per game. Ousmane Cisse is EIU’s rebounding leader with 6.7 per game. Romaine Martin, one of the standout players for the Panthers last season struggled early this season and left the team in January.
The Panthers (12-11, 6-7) are hungry for a win after losing six of their last eight with wins over UT Martin and SEMO. Prior to the current streak however, EIU won six of seven and can be a dangerous team. Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series 18-8, but MSU has won the last two, including the first meeting this year, 73-51.
After Thursday, MSU heads to SEMO for the Eagles’ final road OVC game of the season. That game is scheduled to tip off at 8:45 ET on Saturday.
