The Eastern Illinois men's basketball team has won seven of its last eight games with six of the wins coming against Ohio Valley Conference team to help put the Panthers at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference West Division with a 7-4 record. EIU is 11-13 overall. The Panthers are on a five-game winning streak.
But one of its toughest games in this eight-game stretch was against a now 11-15 and 4-7 in the OVC Austin Peay. The Panthers won 87-86 in Clarksville, but the game went to overtime and EIU won when A.J. Riley made a layup with :00.3 seconds left.
The Governors record may be a bit deceiving, too, especially since Austin Peay won at Murray State on Saturday, a place the Governors haven't won at in their last nine tries. Austin Peay's win over the Racers helped EIU sit alone at the top of the OVC West.
However, a loss to the Governors at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Lantz Arena could move the Panthers back into a first-place tie with Murray State in the West. A win for the Governors also puts Austin Peay back in the hunt for a spot in the OVC tournament.
"They have played well for a while, they have just had a hard time getting wins," EIU coach Jay Spoonhour said. "They are at a point now where they are playing with a real sense of urgency and you could see it against Murray State. It will be the same thing for us."
Austin Peay has a 26-17 edge against EIU in the series with the Panthers holding an 11-10 edge at Lantz Arena. The two teams have a history of winning at each other's arena and the Governors won the last two meetings at Lantz.
"We have had success down at their place and they have had success at our place," Spoonhour said. "It's been an even matchup since I've been here and will be (Wednesday)."
Chris Horton leads Austin Peay with a double-double with 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season. Horton is one of 13 players in NCAA Division 1 history with 1,500 career points, 1,100 rebounds and 300 blocks (which was not an official NCAA stat until 1985-86). If Horton reaches 1,200 rebounds, he will be one of nine players to reach that milestone.
In the first game against EIU, Horton scored 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and made eight of his 14 free throws. He also grabbed 15 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
"They are doing a really good job of getting him the ball," Spoonhour said. "The guys that are guarding him are important, but it requires everyone. If he gets it, you are going to be in some trouble, so limit the number of times he gets it."
Horton isn't the only offensive weapon Austin Peay has, though. The Governors are averaging 74.2 points per game and shoot 44.9 percent from the field. John Robinson is second on the team with 16 points per game and had 20 against EIU, but on 4-of-18 shooting. He scored 11 points at the free throw line. Khalil Davis has 71 assists on the season and averages 11.6 points per game.
"The thing about these guys is you can worry about Horton, but Robinson can score and Davis always seems to play well against us," Spoonhour said. "They have a lot of good offensive players."
The Governors do give up 75.6 points per game, though, and opponents are shooting 46 percent against Austin Peay.
Trae Anderson leads the Panthers with 14.3 points per game and is coming off a 27 point effort against Southeast Missouri State on Saturday. During EIU's five-game winning streak, Anderson is averaging 18.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He grabbed 12 rebounds against SEMO for his fourth career double-double and he is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.
Anderson scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the first contest against Austin Peay.
Demetrius McReynolds also had a double-double against SEMO with 16 points and 11 rebounds, his third career double-double. McReynolds averages 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Cornell Johnston adds 11.2 points and 5.6 assists per game and reserve A.J. Riley adds 11.0 points a game. Riley scored 18 points and dished out seven assists against the Governors and Johnston had 10 points and six assists.
But one of its toughest games in this eight-game stretch was against a now 11-15 and 4-7 in the OVC Austin Peay. The Panthers won 87-86 in Clarksville, but the game went to overtime and EIU won when A.J. Riley made a layup with :00.3 seconds left.
The Governors record may be a bit deceiving, too, especially since Austin Peay won at Murray State on Saturday, a place the Governors haven't won at in their last nine tries. Austin Peay's win over the Racers helped EIU sit alone at the top of the OVC West.
However, a loss to the Governors at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Lantz Arena could move the Panthers back into a first-place tie with Murray State in the West. A win for the Governors also puts Austin Peay back in the hunt for a spot in the OVC tournament.
"They have played well for a while, they have just had a hard time getting wins," EIU coach Jay Spoonhour said. "They are at a point now where they are playing with a real sense of urgency and you could see it against Murray State. It will be the same thing for us."
Austin Peay has a 26-17 edge against EIU in the series with the Panthers holding an 11-10 edge at Lantz Arena. The two teams have a history of winning at each other's arena and the Governors won the last two meetings at Lantz.
"We have had success down at their place and they have had success at our place," Spoonhour said. "It's been an even matchup since I've been here and will be (Wednesday)."
Chris Horton leads Austin Peay with a double-double with 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season. Horton is one of 13 players in NCAA Division 1 history with 1,500 career points, 1,100 rebounds and 300 blocks (which was not an official NCAA stat until 1985-86). If Horton reaches 1,200 rebounds, he will be one of nine players to reach that milestone.
In the first game against EIU, Horton scored 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and made eight of his 14 free throws. He also grabbed 15 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
"They are doing a really good job of getting him the ball," Spoonhour said. "The guys that are guarding him are important, but it requires everyone. If he gets it, you are going to be in some trouble, so limit the number of times he gets it."
Horton isn't the only offensive weapon Austin Peay has, though. The Governors are averaging 74.2 points per game and shoot 44.9 percent from the field. John Robinson is second on the team with 16 points per game and had 20 against EIU, but on 4-of-18 shooting. He scored 11 points at the free throw line. Khalil Davis has 71 assists on the season and averages 11.6 points per game.
"The thing about these guys is you can worry about Horton, but Robinson can score and Davis always seems to play well against us," Spoonhour said. "They have a lot of good offensive players."
The Governors do give up 75.6 points per game, though, and opponents are shooting 46 percent against Austin Peay.
Trae Anderson leads the Panthers with 14.3 points per game and is coming off a 27 point effort against Southeast Missouri State on Saturday. During EIU's five-game winning streak, Anderson is averaging 18.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He grabbed 12 rebounds against SEMO for his fourth career double-double and he is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.
Anderson scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the first contest against Austin Peay.
Demetrius McReynolds also had a double-double against SEMO with 16 points and 11 rebounds, his third career double-double. McReynolds averages 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Cornell Johnston adds 11.2 points and 5.6 assists per game and reserve A.J. Riley adds 11.0 points a game. Riley scored 18 points and dished out seven assists against the Governors and Johnston had 10 points and six assists.
