Kyle Borland Coaching Legacy (CH2K8)

[kblu54]

EIU wins again

Another big win for EIU
EIU Basketball News

EIU nearly doubled up SE Missouri State in a huge home blowout win, their 2nd 35+ point win in a row. It was a big game for the freshman backcourt of J.D. Lovelace and Skip Maye, as they combined for 32 points in the Panthers' 79-44 thrashing.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 79
SE Missouri State, 44

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 17 pts, 4 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 15 pts, 4 rebs, 7/8 FG

EIU stay at home for their final non-conference battle, as they welcome Hampton to Lantz Arena. It is the Panthers' last non-conference matchup before focusing entirely on their race for the OVC regular season title.

Current Record: 9-2 (4-0 OVC)
Next Game: Hampton @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU wins 3rd straight

EIU notches 3rd straight win, 3rd straight blowout
EIU Basketball News

EIU is officially cruising following their 3rd straight blowout win this week, dominating Hampton at home 86-51. PG D'or Dupre set a new career-high in points, racking up 23 and nailing 4 of 8 from behind the arc. Sophomore SF M.C. Watkins chipped in 21 off the bench and sunk all three of his long-range attempts.

EIU gets to 10 wins in the shortest amount of games (12) in their 5th year under head coach Kyle Borland. It took 27 (but never actually getting to 10), 26, 22 and 21 games respectively over the past 4 years to get to double-digit victories. The Panthers are averaging 88 ppg in their last 3 games while only allowing 50.6 ppg. In their first 9 games, EIU put up only 59.4 ppg while allowing 54.2.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 86
Hampton, 51

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 23 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls, 4/8 3PT
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 21 pts, 5 rebs, 3/3 3PT

Coach Borland, following the Hampton win:
"We are just on a roll now. It took us a few games to click, especially with the new faces in the lineup, but now the guys seem to have some good chemistry and they're just feeding off each other right now. Dupre has been absolutely outstanding leading this offense, who has shown how dangerous they can be. I am very impressed how our defense is feeding our offense. We're getting turnovers and turning them into quick points, which is building our leads faster and larger. If we can keep this tempo up, a conference title is not out of the question! But I don't want to jinx it of course "

Coach Borland and the Panthers have a tough matchup next week. EIU resumes OVC play on the road against the defending regular season and OVC Tournament champions in Tennessee Tech. Tech swept the Panthers by an average of 21 points last season, including an emotional 22-point blowout on Senior Night that knocked EIU out of the OVC Tournament. The Panthers are looking for some major revenge.

Current Record: 10-2 (4-0 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee Tech

[TheGreatKang]

Re: EIU wins 3rd straight

Been reading this dynasty for a while, really well written and a great read. It ultimately helped me find out about this site since I was reading this dynasty on the 2k forums.

Plan on doing one of my own here soon but all in all please keep this up, gives me something to read when I am really bored.

[kblu54]

EIU drops close one

Late run halts EIU's winning streak
EIU Basketball News

EIU's winning streak was halted on the road this week by Tennessee Tech, 73-70. The Panthers led for the majority of the game over the defensing OVC champs, including a 10-point lead early in the 2nd half. But it was a late Tech run that turned out to the be the difference in the game.

Down 66-60, Tech went on an 9-0 run to take a 69-66 lead with 2 minutes to play. The teams traded buckets and Tech only made the 1st of a double bonus chance with 16 seconds left. EIU took a timeout down 73-70 to set up a game-tying play. Unfortunately, SG Lloyd Giles missed a three at the buzzer and Tech walked away with the win.

Final Score:
Tennessee Tech, 73
Eastern Illinois, 70

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 18 pts, 9 rebs, 3 blks
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 9 asts

The Panthers return home for the 1st of three straight OVC contests at Lantz Arena. EIU hopes to revive their conference winning streak against Tennessee-Martin, who the Panthers beat by 15 in their first matchup.

Current Record: 10-3 (4-1 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee-Martin @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU wins

EIU rebounds in big way, smashes UT-Martin
EIU Basketball News

EIU took out their frustrations on Tennessee-Martin this week, destroying them 81-58 at home to complete the season sweep. The Panthers had just lost a tough one to Tennessee Tech and were looking to take it out on someone. SF Rod Bobik led all scorers with 18 points and PG D'or Dupre dished out another 9 assists.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 81
Tennessee-Martin, 58

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 18 pts, 3 stls, 7/9 FG
D'or Dupre, PG --- 11 pts, 3 rebs, 9 asts

EIU stays at home to welcome Morehead State to Lantz Arena. MSU swept the Panthers last season.

Current Record: 11-3 (5-1 OVC)
Next Game: Morehead State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU wins again

EIU makes it 2 in a row
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up their 2nd straight win, beating Morehead State 66-60 at home. The Panthers led by as much as 14 before MSU crawled back. PG D'or Dupre nailed 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with 17 points.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Morehead State, 60

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 17 pts, 5 asts, 4/5 3PT
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 17 pts, 7 rebs

EIU stays at home and welcomes Austin Peay to Lantz Arena. The Panthers split with AP last season.

Current Record: 12-3 (6-1 OVC)
Next Game: Austin Peay @ EIU

[kblu54]

3rd time's a charm

EIU snatches 3rd straight
EIU Basketball News

It was another big day for the freshman interior, as EIU beat Austin Peay 83-76 at the friendly confines of Lantz Arena. Freshman centers J.D. Lovelace and Skip Maye combined for 33 points as the Panthers led by as much as 17.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 83
Austin Peay, 76

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 19 pts, 5 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 8 rebs, 6/8 FG

EIU hopes to keep their winning streak alive despite hitting the road for two OVC contests next week. The Panthers face Murray State first before traveling to meet Samford. EIU was swept by the Racers last season and split with Samford.

Current Record: 13-3 (7-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Murray State

[kblu54]

No problem for EIU

EIU easily makes it 4 in a row
EIU Basketball News

EIU had no trouble in taking down Murray State on the road, winning 60-43 to push their winning streak to 4 games. It was the Panther defense that made the biggest impact, holding the Racers to 25% shooting and forcing 18 turnovers.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 60
Murray State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 5 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls

EIU looks to push their winning streak to 5, which would match the season-high they set to start the season. The Panthers travel to meet up with a struggling Samford team.

Current Record: 14-3 (8-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Samford

[kblu54]

EIU drops one

EIU falls prey to Samford slow-down game, lose on road
EIU Basketball News

EIU fell into Samford's slow-down tempo and shot poorly, allowing the Bulldogs to sneak out a 49-46 upset. The Panthers had averaged 78 ppg in the last 8 games, going 7-1 in that time. EIU shot only 22% and turned the ball over 16 times, and Samford used the poor play to work the clock and pull the upset.

Final Score:
Samford, 49
Eastern Illinois, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 10 pts, 3 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 9 pts, 2 rebs

The Panthers' winning streak is snapped at 4 but they will look to begin a new one at home next week. EIU welcomes Tennessee Tech to Lantz Arena and then Eastern Kentucky. The Panthers dropped a close 73-70 decision to Tech on the road but beat EKU 73-67 in their 1st matchup.

Current Record: 14-4 (8-2 OVC)
Next Game: Tennessee Tech @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU gets revenge

EIU gets revenge in defensive win
EIU Basketball News

EIU avenged an earlier loss to Tennessee Tech at home this week, using their strong defense in a 55-39 victory. The Panthers held Tech to 24% from the field and forced 17 turnovers, and freshman C J.D. Lovelace picked up a double-double.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 55
Tennessee Tech, 39

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 14 pts, 12 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks
Skip Maye, C --- 12 pts, 5 rebs

EIU stays at home and will welcome Eastern Kentucky next.

Current Record: 15-4 (9-2 OVC)
Next Game: Eastern Kentucky @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU wins close one

EIU sneaks out close win
EIU Basketball News

EIU hung on for a close 55-52 home win over Eastern Kentucky this week. EIU shot poorly but never trailed and held off EKU late to preserve the win.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 55
Eastern Kentucky, 52

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 8 rebs
Mario Braun, SG --- 11 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

The Panthers hit the road to take on Austin Peay next week. EIU beat AP 83-76 at home a few weeks ago.

Current Record: 16-4 (10-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Austin Peay

[kblu54]

EIU wins 2

EIU pushes winning streak to 4
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up 2 huge wins this week to push their current winning streak to 4. The Panthers smashed Austin Peay 69-45 on the road before returning home to beat up on Jacksonville State 65-43. Junior SF Rod Bobik had the best week, leading EIU with 11.5 ppg while grabbing 8.5 rpg.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
Austin Peay, 45

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 12 pts, 11 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 12 pts, 7 rebs

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 65
Jacksonville State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 11 pts, 10 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

The Panthers hit the road for 2 OVC rematches next week, taking on Tennessee State before meeting up with Morehead State. EIU almost dropped 100 on TSU in a blowout win and squeaked by MSU 66-60 in their first meeting this season.

Current Record: 18-4 (12-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee State

[kblu54]

EIU streak to 6

EIU keeps streak alive, pushes it to 6 after 2 road wins
EIU Basketball News

EIU swept both road contests this week to push their current winning streak to a season-high 6 games, and get head coach Kyle Borland his first 20-win season in his short career.

The Panthers dominated Tennessee State 70-40 before hanging on to beat Morehead State 51-46 in a tough defensive battle.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 70
Tennessee State, 40

EIU Top Performers:
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 19 pts, 9 rebs, 10/10 FT
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 8 pts, 4 rebs, 2/2 3PT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 51
Morehead State, 46

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 3 asts
Skip Maye, C --- 9 pts, 13 rebs, 2 blks

Coach Borland:
"It is an honor to reach 20 wins with this group of guys. It is funny to think that a few years ago our season goal was only 12 wins, but now the bar has been reset. This program is heading in the right direction and we're getting better everyday. Following the Samford loss, I sat down with the entire team and explained how we are head and shoulders above any other team in the OVC right now. We shouldn't stoop to lesser teams levels. We need to play our game every night and focus on dominating and putting up big points. I feel the motivation has driven this team that past few games, and they have a look in their eye I've never seen before. They all seem to have a killer instinct and they're just feeding off each other right now. Our scoring is so balanced that any player could take over on any night, making us dangerous and unpredictable. We will not let up either. Expect us to close out the conference with two championships - I guarantee it!"

Big statements from Coach Borland as his team looks ahead to the final few games of the regular season. The OVC regular season is almost wrapped up, as EIU leads the conference by 3 games with 4 games to play. The Panthers only need to win 2 of 4 games to clinch, but I'm sure Coach Borland and his players will be looking for more.

The wins this week complete the season sweeps of both teams. Next week, EIU returns home to welcome Murray State before a revenge-added matchup with Samford. The Panthers knocked off Murray State by 17 but lost to Samford by 3.

Current Record: 20-4 (14-2 OVC)
Next Game: Murray State @ EIU

[kblu54]

8-game streak for EIU

EIU streak now at 8, clinches OVC championship
EIU Basketball News

EIU clinched their first OVC regular season championship ever thanks to 2 home wins this week to push their current winning streak to 8 games. The Panthers defeated Murray State 61-43 to complete the season sweep before avenging an earlier upset to Samford on Senior Night, winning 56-40. Freshman C Skip Maye collected a double-double against MSU while redshirt sophomore PG D'or Dupre led all scorers with 18 points against Samford.

Before the Samford game, EIU honored seniors PF Travis Brock, PF Aras Prato and SF Chas Cleveland. All three players walked onto the Panther program following head coach Kyle Borland's first year at the helm, and each player has contributed to the development of the program. Brock has been the most prominent player of the trio, averaging nearly 2 ppg and 2 rpg off the bench and appearing in 112 games over his career. Prato has averaged nearly 1 ppg and 1 rpg while appearing in 46 games, but has yet to play in a game this season. Cleveland also has not seen the court this season, but has averaged 1.2 ppg and nearly 1 rpg in his 39 career appearances.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 61
Murray State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 13 rebs
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 12 pts, 5/6 FG

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 56
Samford, 40

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 18 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts, 2/3 3PT
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 4 rebs, 2 stls

EIU will finish out the regular season on the road, as they first travel to take on Jacksonville State before meeting up with SE Missouri State. The Panthers beat JSU by 22 in their first meeting and destroyed SEMO by 35 earlier.

Current Record: 22-4 (16-2 OVC) *Clinched OVC regular season title*
Next Game: EIU @ Jacksonville State

[kblu54]

EIU pushes to 10

EIU sweetens the pot with 2 more wins, pushes streak to double digits
EIU Basketball News

EIU kept up their winning ways as they closed out the regular season this week, sweeping both OVC contests on the road to push their current winning streak to 10 games. The Panthers knocked off Jacksonville State 57-51 before hounding SE Missouri State 66-50.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 57
Jacksonville State, 51

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 19 pts, 4 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 13 rebs, 10/13 FT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
SE Missouri State, 50

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 10 pts, 3 rebs, 5 asts
Skip Maye, C --- 9 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls

Coach Borland:
"Great way to end the regular season. We clinched the OVC title early and now we're just focused on winning, period. I never seen the guys have so much fun. It's all smiles right now at EIU, and we are looking to claim that OVC Tournament title."

Coach Borland and the Panthers earn the #1 seed in the OVC Tournament thanks to their regular season championship, and will face #8 seed Eastern Kentucky in the 1st round. EKU has given EIU a run in both matchups so far this season, losing both by a total of 9 points. With the streak the Panthers are on though, an upset looks unlikely.

The final OVC standings and the 1st round matchups are as follows:

OVC Standings
Note: OVC record in ()

1) Eastern Illinois --- 24-4 (18-2)
2) Tennessee Tech --- 21-9 (14-6)
3) Murray State --- 15-12 (11-9)
4) SE Missouri State --- 13-14 (11-9)
5) Austin Peay --- 11-15 (11-9)
6) Tennessee State --- 11-14 (10-10)
7) Tennessee-Martin --- 12-14 (9-11)
8) Eastern Kentucky --- 9-16 (9-11)
9) Samford --- 7-21 (7-13)
10) Morehead State --- 7-20 (6-14)
11) Jacksonville State --- 5-21 (4-16)

OVC Tournament

First Round

#1 Eastern Illinois
#8 Eastern Kentucky

#4 SE Missouri State
#5 Austin Peay

#3 Murray State
#6 Tennessee State

#2 Tennessee Tech
#7 Tennessee-Martin

Can the Panthers keep up their 10-game winning streak and make a run for the OVC Tournament title and the automatic NCAA Tournament berth?

Current Record: 24-4 (18-2 OVC) *OVC regular season champions*
Next Game: #1 EIU vs. #8 Eastern Kentucky (1st Round --- OVC Tournament)