Eastern Illinois’ Demanding Schedule

(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois men’s basketball will face a pair of Big 12 Conference teams and play in a Thanksgiving Tournament in Asheville, North Carolina as Panthers head coach Jay Spoonhour released the 2018-19 schedule.

Two of the highlighted games on the demanding schedule will be against teams from the Big 12 Conference as EIU will open the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at Texas.  The Panthers also head into the winter break at Big 12 Conference member Iowa State on Dec. 21.

Sandwiched in between those two Big 12 foes are ten games which include three home contests, four road games and three neutral site tournament games.

EIU will open the season hosting Eureka College on Friday, Nov. 2 for the Panthers lone exhibition game of the year.  Following the regular season opener at Texas, the Panthers then travel to IUPUI on Nov. 10.  The regular season home opener is Saturday, Nov. 17 against Western Illinois.

The Panthers will spend the Thanksgiving break in the mountains of North Carolina as they participate in the four-team Battle in the Blue Ridge tournament to be played in Asheville, N.C.   EIU will face Gardner-Webb, Arkansas State and UNC Wilmington as part of the event.  The Panthers will also host Fontbonne University on Tuesday, Dec. 4 as part of the tournament package.

Following the Battle in the Blue Ridge, EIU hosts Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 28 before a trip to Chicago State on Dec. 1.   The remaining non-conference games are at Western Illinois on Dec. 8, at Bradley on Dec. 15 and at home against North Alabama on Dec. 30 prior to the start of Ohio Valley Conference play.