Eastern's Men's Basketball Schedule Released

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois will play six games against teams that advanced to the postseason last year as men’s basketball coach Jay Spoonhour announced the Panthers 2015-16 schedule.

EIU advanced to the postseason for the first time since the 2001 NCAA Tournament last year as the Panthers reached the second round of the CollegeInsiders.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). EIU beat Oakland in the opening round for the program’s first postseason tournament win as an NCAA Division I school. The Panthers return a nucleus of players from last year’s team including All-OVC forward Trae Anderson and OVC Freshman of the Year Cornell Johnston.

"Last year, our non-conference schedule was the toughest in the league, and winning some of those tough games is what allowed us to make it to the post-season,” said Spoonhour. “This year's schedule, I think, is equally tough. We were really fortunate to get some home games against teams that our fans will enjoy seeing."

Fans will get their first look at the 2015-16 squad on Tuesday, Nov. 3 when the Panthers host the University of Saint Francis for an exhibition game at Lantz Arena.

The Panthers will open the regular season against NCAA Tournament participant Indiana on Friday, Nov. 13. That will be the first of two non-conferences in the Hoosier State as EIU visits Ball State on Nov. 16.

EIU’s home opener will be Nov. 21 against Western Illinois kicking off a four-game home stand in Lantz Arena. Green Bay comes to town on Nov. 28 followed by Indiana State on Dec. 1 and Northern Kentucky on Dec. 5.

EIU will once again take part in an in-season tournament this year as part of the Global Sports Classic. The opening game is Dec. 9 at Marshall with a Dec. 19 contest at Houston. EIU will play two games in Las Vegas on Dec. 21 and 22.

The remainder of the Panthers non-conference schedule includes a Dec. 12 game at Western Illinois and home games against Hannibal-LaGrange (Dec. 28) and St. Ambrose (Feb. 1).

Ohio Valley Conference play opens on the road for EIU with six games against the OVC Eastern Division. EIU went 6-0 last season against OVC East Division. The Panthers close out the 2015 calendar year on Dec. 31 at Tennessee Tech with a Jan. 2 game at Jacksonville State. EIU will also visit defending OVC Tournament champion Belmont on Jan. 9. EIU hosts OVC East Division teams Tennessee State (Jan. 6), Eastern Kentucky (Jan .14) and Morehead State (Jan. 16).

EIU will play home-and-home games against the teams in the OVC West Division starting with a Jan. 21 game at Murray State. The Panthers will close divisional play against the Racers in Lantz Arena on Feb. 25. The four other OVC West Division home games are Jan. 28 against UT Martin, Feb. 6 against Southeast Missouri, Feb. 11 against Austin Peay and Feb. 13 against SIU Edwardsville.

The 2016 OVC Tournament will take place in Nashville, March 2-5.

Season tickets will be available for purchase in early September with single game tickets available in mid-October. For more ticket information fans can call the EIU Ticket Office at 217-581-2106.

2015-16 EIU Men’s Basketball Schedule

Nov. 3 – Saint Francis (Ill.) – exhib.

Nov. 13 – at Indiana

Nov. 16 – at Ball State

Nov. 21 – Western Illinois

Nov. 28 – Green Bay

Dec. 1 – Indiana State

Dec. 5 – Northern Kentucky

Dec. 9 – at Marshall (Global Sports Classic)

Dec. 12 – at Western Illinois

Dec. 19 – at Houston (Global Sports Classic)

Dec. 21 – vs. Omaha (Global Sports Classic at Las Vegas)

Dec. 22 – vs. Southern/North Carolina Central (Global Sports Classic at Las Vegas)

Dec. 28 – Hannibal-LaGrange

Dec. 31 – at Tennessee Tech *

Jan. 2 – at Jacksonville State *

Jan. 6 – Tennessee State *

Jan. 9 – at Belmont *

Jan. 14 – Eastern Kentucky *

Jan. 16 – Morehead State *

Jan. 21 – at Murray State *

Jan. 23 – at Austin Peay *

Jan. 28 – UT Martin *

Jan. 30 – at SIU Edwardsville *

Feb. 1 – St. Ambrose

Feb. 6 – Southeast Missouri *

Feb. 11 – Austin Peay *

Feb. 13 – SIU Edwardsville *

Feb. 18 – at UT Martin *

Feb. 20 – at Southeast Missouri *

Feb. 25 – Murray State *

March 2-5 – at OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.)