EIU Men's Basketball 2016-17 Schedule Released

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois men’s basketball will play fourteen regular season home games and one exhibition game as Panthers head coach Jay Spoonhour released the 2016-2017 schedule.

The Panthers return a nucleus of last year’s team including three starters in senior guard Demetrius McReynolds, junior guard Cornell Johnston and sophomore guard Casey Teson.  In addition the Panthers return Patrick Muldoon, Joe Kuligoski and Lucas Jones, players that all started at least six games for EIU last season.

Fans will get their first look at the 2016-17 squad on Sunday, Nov. 6 when the Panthers host Eureka College for an exhibition game at Lantz Arena.
 
EIU will then open the 2016-17 regular season at home on Friday, Nov. 11 hosting Saint Francis (Ill.).  It marks the first time since the 2010-11 season that EIU has opened a season at home in Lantz Arena.

The Panthers then play a pair of road games traveling to Troy on Nov. 14 and Saint Louis on Nov. 17.

EIU tips off a four-game home stand on Nov. 19 against Western Illinois.  Troy returns a game to Lantz Arena on Nov. 21 for the Panthers annual Kid’s Day game at Noon.  South Alabama and Bradley wrap up the home stand with games on Nov. 26 and 29.

The Panthers then play five off their remaining six non-conference games on the road.   EIU will travel to Illinois-Chicago on Dec. 4, Northern Kentucky on Dec. 7, Western Illinois on Dec. 10, Missouri on Dec. 17 and Indiana State on Dec. 21.   EIU hosts Fontbonne University on Dec. 19 at home.  
 
The Ohio Valley Conference slate begins at home for the Panthers with a New Year’s Eve game against Jacksonville State.  EIU then travels to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 5 and 7.  The remaining road game against the OVC East Division will be on Feb. 1 at Tennessee State.  EIU will host games against OVC East Division members Belmont on Jan. 25 and Tennessee Tech on Feb. 4.
 
The Panthers will play home-and-home dates against OVC West Division opponents Murray State, Austin Peay, SIU Edwardsville, UT Martin and Southeast Missouri.  The Panthers final regular season road game is Feb. 11 against Southeast Missouri.

The 2017 OVC Tournament will take place in Nashville, March 1-4.

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

2016-2017 Schedule

Sun., Nov. 6 -- EUREKA COLLEGE (exhib.), LANTZ ARENA, 3 pm

Fri., Nov. 11 -- SAINT FRANCIS (ILL.), LANTZ ARENA, 7:30 pm

Mon., Nov. 14 -- at Troy, Troy, Ala., TBA

Thur., Nov. 17 -- at Saint Louis, St. Louis, Mo., TBA

Sat., Nov. 19 -- WESTERN ILLINOIS, LANTZ ARENA, 7 pm

Mon., Nov. 21 -- TROY, LANTZ ARENA, 12 pm

Sat., Nov. 26 -- SOUTH ALABAMA, LANTZ ARENA, 3:15 pm

Tues., Nov. 29 -- BRADLEY, LANTZ ARENA, 7 pm

Sun., Dec. 4 -- at Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, Ill. TBA

Wed., Dec. 7 -- at Northern Kentucky, Highland Heights, Ky., TBA

Sat., Dec. 10 -- at Western Illinois, Macomb, Ill., TBA

Sat. Dec. 17 -- at Missouri, Columbia, Mo., TBA

Mon., Dec. 19 -- FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY, LANTZ ARENA, 7 pm

Wed., Dec. 21 -- at Indiana State, Terre Haute, Ind., TBA

Sat., Dec. 31 -- * JACKSONVILLE STATE LANTZ ARENA, 3:15 pm

Thur., Jan. 5 -- * at Morehead State, Morehead, Ky., TBA

Sat., Jan. 7 -- * at Eastern Kentucky, Richmond, Ky., TBA

Thur. Jan. 12 -- * MURRAY STATE, LANTZ ARENA, 7 pm

Sat., Jan. 14 -- * AUSTIN PEAY, LANTZ ARENA, 3:15 pm

Thur. Jan. 19 -- * at UT Martin, Martin, Tenn., TBA

Sat., Jan. 21 -- * at Southeast Missouri, Cape Girardeau, Mo., TBA

Wed., Jan. 25 -- * BELMONT, LANTZ ARENA, 7 pm

Sat., Jan. 28 -- * SIU EDWARDSVILLE, LANTZ ARENA 3:15 pm

Wed., Feb. 1 -- * at Tennessee State, Nashville, Tenn., TBA

Sat., Feb. 4 -- * TENNESSEE TECH, LANTZ ARENA, 3:15 pm

Thur., Feb. 9 -- * UT MARTIN, LANTZ ARENA, 7 pm

Sat., Feb. 11 -- * SOUTHEAST MISSOURI, LANTZ ARENA, 3:15 pm

Thur., Feb. 16 -- * at Austin Peay, Clarksville, Tenn., TBA

Sat., Feb. 18 --  * at Murray State, Murray, Ky., TBA

Sat., Feb. 25 -- * at SIU Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Ill., TBA

Wed.-Sat., March 1-4 -- OVC Tournament @ Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

Thur.,  March 16 -- NCAA Tournament