Southeast Missouri (8-17, 3-9 OVC) at Eastern Illinois (11-14, 5-7 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, February 15, 2024
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m., CT
Location: Charleston, Ill.
Facility: Lantz Arena (5,400)
Series: SEMO leads, 37-30
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (52-68 Overall; 52-68 at SEMO; 30-37 OVC). Marty Simmons (308-309 Overall; 25-62 at EIU; 13-35 OVC).

Follow the Redhawks
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Glen Cantrell)
Video: ESPN+ 
Live Stats: EIUPanthers.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)

Redhawks Face Eastern Illinois 
Southeast Missouri (8-17, 3-9) travels to Eastern Illinois (11-14, 5-7) for an Ohio Valley Conference matchup Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., CT at Lantz Arena.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Glen Cantrell will be on the call. Video can be accessed online at ESPN+. Live stats are available at EIUPanthers.com. Updates will be provided on X (formerly Twitter) @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri leads its all-time series against Eastern Illinois, 37-30. SEMO won each of the last six meetings between the teams. Three of those victories came in Charleston. The Redhawks and Panthers play just one time this season.

Schedule Flip
The Redhawks completed January with a 2-6 record and 1-6 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play. Southeast Missouri played five of its eight games in January on the road. That won't be the case in February, where SEMO will be at home for five of its eight games. 

Turnover Low
Southeast Missouri had a season-low three turnovers against Tennessee State (Feb. 10). It was SEMO's fewest turnovers in a game under Head Coach Brad Korn and fewest since the Redhawks turned the ball over three times at Loyola Marymount on Nov. 14, 2014.

Great Effort
The Redhawks made a ferocious comeback that fell just short in a close 77-74 loss to Tennessee State (Feb. 10). Down 68-55, Southeast Missouri outscored TSU, 19-9, in the final 6:29 to nearly pull off a come-from- behind win. SEMO got within three or less points several times down the stretch and was within one (71-70) on a layup by Josh Earley with 1:08 to go. After Justin Williams answered with a layup and Jason Jitoboh made two free throws, the Tigers led, 75-70, with 24 seconds. SEMO was later down three when Braxton Stacker missed the front end of his two free throws. Stacker then intentionally missed his second shot, grabbed the rebound and passed to Evan Eursher who missed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc. David Idada rebounded Eursher's miss and kicked the ball to BJ Ward who shot a corner 3-pointer that went off the iron as time expired.

Earley Sets New Career-High
Josh Earley scored a career-high 22 points to lead Southeast Missouri against Tennessee State (Feb. 10). Earley made 11-of-18 field goals and pulled down eight rebounds in 30 minutes. It was the second 20-point game of his career.

Eursher Rises
Evan Eursher stepped up to score double figures in each of his last two games. Eursher, who started those two contests, scored a career-high 16 points against Tennessee Tech (Feb. 8) and added 12 against Tennessee State (Feb. 10). He also made four 3-pointers in both of games.

Where They Stand
The Redhawks enter Thursday's game at 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference standings behind Tennessee Tech. Eastern Illinois is in seventh with a 5-7 league record.

Earley is Rolling
Josh Earley scored double figures during nine of his last 11 starts. Earley scored 20 points at Tennessee Tech(Jan. 13), 18 at Western Illinois (Jan. 4), 14 vs. Bethel (Jan. 6), 16 against both Lindenwood (Jan. 11) and SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 20), 14 at UT Martin (Jan. 25), 19 at Lindenwood (Jan. 30), 14 vs. Tennessee Tech (Feb. 8) and 22 vs. Tennessee State (Feb. 10). He is averaging 10.2 points a game as Southeast Missouri's second-leading scorer. Earley leads the Redhawks with 13.5 points a game in league play.

3-Pointer Streak
As a team, Southeast Missouri has made at least one 3-pointer in 484 consecutive games. The last time SEMO did not make a 3-pointer was vs. Western Illinois (0-of-6) on Dec. 10, 2008. The Redhawks kept that streak alive when they made their only 3-pointer of the game with less than a second left at Lindenwood (Jan. 30).