| GAME 19 - EASTERN ILLINOIS |
| Date/Time |
Saturday, January 14 - 3:30 p.m. |
| Location |
Charleston, Ill. |
| Arena |
Lantz Arena |
| Records |
Little Rock (5-13, 1-4 OVC)
Eastern Illinois (6-12, 2-3 OVC) |
| Watch |
ESPN+ |
| Listen |
106.7 FM The Buz2 |
| Live Stats |
SideArm Sports |
| Notes |
Little Rock | Eastern Illinois |
LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock continues the weekend road trip, heading to Charleston, Illinois to take on Eastern Illinois Saturday, January 14. Opening tip is slated for 3:30 p.m. at Lantz Arena on ESPN+ with Mike Bradd and Dave Kidwell on the call. Trojan Hall of Famer Ray Tucker will handle the radio broadcast on 106.7 FM The Buz2, getting underway at approximately 3:15 p.m.
GAME STORYLINES
• Little Rock and Eastern Illinois meet for the first time since the two teams met in a home-and-home season in the 1976-77 season. The Trojans won 83-75 in Little Rock on Jan. 6, 1977, with the Panthers winning 92-72 in Charleston on Feb. 14, 1977.
• Little Rock is making its second trip of the year to the state of Illinois, posting an all-time record of 3-12 in the Land of Lincoln. The Trojans' last win in the state of Illinois was the 66-44 win over DePaul in Chicago on December 12, 2015.
• Little Rock enters Saturday's game sitting 10th in the OVC standings at 1-4, one game back of Eastern Illinois which is tied for sixth at 2-3.
•
Myron Gardner enters Saturday's game among the top-30 nationally in four statistical categories. Gardner is fifth in the nation with an OVC-best 10 double-double, trailing only St. John's Joel Soriano (15), Purdue's Zach Edey (13), Chattanoga's Jake Stephens (11) and Coastal Carolina's Essam Mostafa (11).
•
DeAntoni Gordon scored a career-high 20 points at Southern Indiana Thursday, becoming the fourth different Trojan to score at least 20 points in a game this season.
• 10 different Trojans have scored in double figures this season with three averaging in double figures.
Myron Gardner has scored 10 or more points in 16 of 18 games this season and has reached the mark in 25 of his 34 games (73.5%). Gordon has scored in double figures in 16 of his 26 games as a Trojan (61.5%).
NEWS AND NOTES
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
2022-23: 6-12 overall, 2-3 Ohio Valley Conference
Last Three Games: L vs. SIU Edwardsville (80-62), L at Morehead State (69-59), L at Tennessee Tech (70-49)
Head Coach: Marty Simmons (Evansville, 1988). Second season at EIU (11-38), 19th season overall (293-286)
Key Players:
• #10 Kinyon Hodges (Jr., G): 12.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 48.3 FG%
• #4 Yaakema Rose Jr. (Gr., G): 9.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 38.6 FG%
• #20 Caleb Donaldson (Jr., G): 8.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 47.5 FG%
• #5 Sincere Malone (Fr., F): 6.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 44.6 FG%
• #24 Kyle Thomas (Fr., C): 5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 49.3 FG%
IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Little Rock and Eastern Illinois have met twice before, splitting a home-and-home series in the 1976-77 season. A lot has happened in the 45 years since the two teams when Little Rock head coach
Darrell Walker was a sophomore in high school, Jimmy Carter was President, the average price of gas was $0.62 and a new home would cost around $55,000.
LAST TIME OUT
DeAntoni Gordon posted a career-high 20 points and Little Rock pulled to within one in the waning minutes at Southern Indiana. But once again, the Trojans couldn't get over the hump, falling 74-67 at Screaming Eagles Arena Thursday. The Trojans saw just two players reach double figures, including the 20 from Gordon and 14 from
Myron Gardner, as Little Rock pulled within one in the final four minutes but couldn't get over the hump.
MR. DO IT ALL
Myron Gardner continues to pace Little Rock this season, leading the Ohio Valley Conference with 10th double-doubles on the season. Gardner enters Saturday's game leading Little Rock in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (9.5 rpg), assists (3.4 apg), steals (1.7 spg) and minutes (31.1 mpg), ranking second in three point (39.7%) and third in free throw percentage (75.5%).
MYRON AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Myron Gardner enters Saturday's game ranked among the top-30 nationally in four statistical categories and is among the top-10 of Ohio Valley Conference players in six categories as well.
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| Category |
Stat |
OVC |
NCAA |
| Double-Doubles |
10 |
1st |
5th |
| Total Rebounds |
171 |
2nd |
12th |
| Defensive Rebounds/Game |
7.0 |
1st |
18th |
| Rebounds/Game |
9.5 |
2nd |
29th |
BIG NIGHT FOR DA
DeAntoni Gordon has been solid in his second season for Little Rock, registering a career-high 20 points at Southern Indiana Thursday. Gordon ranks second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg), rebounding (5.6 rpg), field goal percentage (49.1%) and free throw percentage (80.0%) while leading the team in blocks (nine). Gordon has reached double figures in 12 games, second-most on the team, doing so now in 16 of his 26 games in a Trojan uniform (61.5%).
SPARK OFF THE BENCH
CJ White once again provided a spark of the bench for the Trojans, flirting with a double-double at Southern Indiana with nine points and eight rebounds with a pair of assists and two steals. Over the last two games, White is averaging 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for Little Rock, shooting 50% (7-of-14) from the floor and 44.4% (4-for-9) from three point range.
DOUBLE FIGURE TROJANS
10 different Trojans have combined for 61 double figure games this season with DeAntoni Gordon (20) and Myron Gardner (14) reaching the mark against Southern Indiana. Gardner leads all Trojans with 25 career games in double figures, including 16 of 18 this year, and has scored 10 or more points in 73.5% of his games as a Trojan (25-of-34).
REACHING 1,000
Myron Gardner surpassed 1,000 minutes as a Trojan Saturday against Southeast Missouri, becoming the fifth player on this year's roster to play over 1,000 minutes in Little Rock. Isaiah Palermo boasts the most minutes as a Trojan with 1,675 while CJ White has the most Division I experience at just shy of 2,000 minutes during his time with both Little Rock and SMU.
LAND OF LINCOLN
Little Rock returns to the state of Illinois for the second time this year after the 94-63 loss at Southern Illinois to open the 2022-23 season. The Trojans are 3-12 all-time in games played in the Land of Lincoln with the last win coming in a 66-44 win at DePaul in Chicago on December 12, 2015.
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