(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois’ season is over, but the Panther program hasn’t looked this good in years. Monday the Panthers lost an 83-68 decision to Evansville in second round action of the College Insider.com Tournament.
EIU finished the season 18-16. Those 18 wins are the most by a Panther team under head coach Jay Spoonhour. Participating in the CIT was the first postseason game for Eastern since 2001. When they won a first round game against Oakland, it represented the first ever Division 1 postseason win in Panther history.
The Ohio Valley Conference has had a successful postseason. While Eastern was dropping a decision to the Missouri Valley’s Evansville, Murray State was defeating Tulsa in the National Invitation Tournament. The OVC is 7 and 2 this post season.
Coach Spoonhour says he is grateful for postseason opportunities and he is very proud of what his team was able to accomplish this season.
Eastern graduates five seniors, none are one of their top three in scoring, and Spoonhour has a highly ranked recruiting class coming to Charleston.
The conference is growing and changing. This offseason the OVC is accumulating those postseason wins, and Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Southeast Missouri each fired their basketball coaches (the SEMO firing occurred Monday). You can expect those jobs to be filled soon.
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.@SEMOMBB wins at home and is 2-0, tied with @MSUEaglesMBB atop the @OVCSports. Our prayers are with the @LRTrojans after the death of one of their managers Josh Claxton. Their game with EIU was postponed today.
Good officiating in the @SEMOMBB/@SIUEMBB in a little late game dust up.
BTW, @LindenwoodWBB is 2-0. @CoachAmyEagan has that program headed the right direction.
With @SkyhawkHoops winning on the road and @LUMensBball winning at home, right now, 5 @OVCSports teams are 1-1.
