Kyle Borland Coaching Legacy (CH2K8)

[kblu54]

EIU wins 3

Lovelace leads Panthers to push win streak to 6
EIU Basketball News

Sophomore C J.D. Lovelace turned in 3 great performances this week as EIU collected 3 OVC victories to push their current win streak to 6. Lovelace scored a game-high 21 points in the Panthers' 69-43 road win over SE Missouri State, before picking up 2 straight double-doubles in home blowouts over Tennessee State (79-42) and Jacksonville State (67-48). The win over JSU was EIU's 10 straight in the overall series.

For the week, Lovelace averaged 17.0 ppg and 8.7 rpg. On the season, he leads the Panthers in scoring at 10.2 ppg.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
SE Missouri State, 43

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 21 pts, 6 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 8 pts, 15 rebs

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 79
Tennessee State, 42

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 20 pts, 10 rebs, 2 stls
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 13 pts, 5 rebs, 2/2 3PT

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 67
Jacksonville State, 48

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 10 pts, 10 rebs
Skip Maye, C --- 8 pts, 9 rebs, 2 blks

EIU will hit the road next week for 2 OVC games, first taking on Samford in a rematch before meeting up with Austin Peay for the teams' first matchup. The Panthers crushed Samford 63-34 at home earlier this season. EIU actually beat Austin Peay 3 times last season, winning both regular season matchups and then dominating AP in the 2nd round of the OVC Tournament 61-38.

Current Record: 12-6 (8-1 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Samford

[kblu54]

EIU splits

EIU completes sweep of Samford but ends winning streak
EIU Basketball News

EIU split this week in tough fashion on the road, first completing their season sweep of Samford before ending their winning streak at 7 games with a loss to Austin Peay. The Panthers struggled against both crowds this week, shooting a combined 28% from the field. EIU played poorly against Austin Peay, turning the ball over 18 times while shooting only 24% and allowing AP to go on a late 8-0 run to seal the upset.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 53
Samford, 44

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 12 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 2/4 3PT
Rod Bobik, SF --- 10 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts

Final Score:
Austin Peay, 57
Eastern Illinois, 49

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 12 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 9 pts, 9 rebs, 7/9 FT

EIU will stay on the road next week for a rematch with Tennessee State. The Panthers crushed TSU 79-42 in their first meeting and has won 3 straight games over TSU by an average of 36.3 points.

Current Record: 13-7 (9-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee State

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EIU wins big

EIU blows out Tennessee State
EIU Basketball News

EIU seemed to shake off their recent loss to Austin Peay well, as they crushed Tennessee State ont he road 83-41. It was the Panthers' 4th straight win over TSU and all of them by at least a 30-point margin.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 83
Tennessee State, 41

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 24 pts, 8/13 FG
D'or Dupre, PG --- 15 pts, 6 asts, 2 stls, 3 blks

EIU returns home next week for 2 OVC matchups at Lantz Arena, welcoming a rematch with SE Missouri State before their first meeting with Eastern Kentucky. The Panthers beat SEMO on the road 69-43 a few weeks ago. Last season, EIU beat EKU 3 times, including a win in the 1st round of the OVC tournament.

Current Record: 14-7 (10-2 OVC)
Next Game: SE Missouri State @ EIU

[kblu54]

EIU wins 2

Solid week across the board as EIU wins 2
EIU Basketball News

It was a another great week for EIU basketball as they picked up 2 home victories to push their new win streak to 3. In their first matchup, a great combination of offense and defense allowed the Panthers to pull away from SE Missouri State with a 69-32 blowout. EIU held SEMO to only 21% from the field, while on the offensive end it was the big men leading the charge. Sophomore C Skip Maye and freshman C Ryan Morandais combined for 37 pts and 15 rebounds.

In their 2nd contest, the Panthers never trailed against Eastern Kentucky in a 76-59 romp. Star junior PG D'or Dupre dropped 26 points on the Colonels, including nailing all 10 attempts from the stripe, and Maye picked up a double-double.

For the week, Maye averaged 18.0 ppg while pulling in 10.5 rpg. He has overtaken teammate and fellow big man C J.D. Lovelace for the scoring lead at 10.5 ppg and continues to lead the team in rebounding at 7.6 rpg.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 69
SE Missouri State, 32

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 22 pts, 8 rebs
Ryan Morandais, C --- 15 pts, 7 rebs, 5/6 FG

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 76
Eastern Kentucky, 59

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 26 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts, 10/10 FT
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 13 rebs, 3 blks

The Panthers will look to continue their winning streak next week, first travelling to Morehead State before a revenge rematch with Austin Peay. EIU beat MSU 72-43 in their first meeting but lost 57-49 to Austin Peay just a few weeks ago.

Current Record: 16-7 (12-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Morehead State

[kblu54]

EIU wins 2

Dupre & Co. turn in solid week, win 2 more
EIU Basketball News

EIU picked up 2 OVC wins this week to push their current winning streak to 5 and put them in a secure position to claim the OVC regular season championship. Star junior PG D'or Dupre turned in two solid performances for the Panthers, as they defeated Morehead State 85-65 on the road before getting revenge at home with a 52-36 victory over Austin Peay.

Dupre averaged 15.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 6.0 apg for the week and still remains arguable the best player in the OVC this season. The Panthers only need to win 2 out of their final 4 games to clinch their 2nd consecutive OVC regular season title.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 85
Morehead State, 65

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 16 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts, 2 blks, 6/9 FG
D'or Dupre, PG --- 13 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 52
Austin Peay, 36

EIU Top Performers:
D'or Dupre, PG --- 17 pts, 4 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls, 2/4 3PT
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 11 rebs, 2 blks

Next week, EIU will hold Senior Night for 4 seniors who have been one of the most successful recruiting classes in Panther history. Starters SF Rod Bobik, SG Lloyd Giles and backups PF Wendell Coleman and SG Pat Carlisle have seen one of the best stretches ever in EIU basketball.

The Panthers also have revenge on their lips for Senior Night, as they welcome Murray State. The Racers upset EIU in the OVC opener this season.

Current Record: 18-7 (14-2 OVC)
Next Game: Murray State @ EIU

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EIU wins

Panthers dominate Senior Night
EIU Basketball News

EIU had no trouble with visiting Murray State, winning handily 66-51 on Senior Night to push their winning streak to 6. The Panthers lost their OVC opener earlier this season to the Racers and used the momentum of a strong crowd to push them to victory.

Before the game, EIU honored their 4 graduating seniors who have been through one of the most successful stretches of EIU basketball ever. SF Rod Bobik, SG Lloyd Giles, PF Wendell Coleman and SG Pat Carlisle saw the Panthers turn in a 75-44 record (including this season's 19-7 mark) over the past 4 years, including 2 trips to the NCAA Tournament and possibly a 3rd to come and EIU's first NCAA Tournament win ever.

Bobik, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, came to EIU as part of the "big three" recruiting class which featured himself, Giles and star PG D'or Dupre. Bobik has been a solid 4-year starter for the Panthers and has never missed a game since he's been in a Panther uniform. Bobik earned All-OVC Freshman Team honors as a freshman and All-OVC 2nd Team honors as a sophomore, but was surprisingly not honored last season despite the Panthers' huge success. For a career, Bobik has averaged 8.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 2.1 apg and is closing in on the 1,000 career point total.

Giles, from Queens, NY, came to EIU to first backup top scorer SG Romain Martin but soon made a name for himself in Panther basketball. Giles has never been the scorer that Martin was but his defensive presence and passing ability made up for it. Giles never had injury trouble until this season and has been a reliable standard for EIU. For a career, Giles has averaged 6.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.2 apg while collecting 1.1 spg.

Coleman and Carlisle have not had the impact that Bobik and Giles have had, but they have contributed here and there. They both came actually a year before Bobik and Giles but Carlisle redshirted his first season and Coleman redshirted as a sophomore. Coleman has appeared in 17 career games for the Panthers while Carlisle finally saw court time this season in one game.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 66
Murray State, 51

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 9 rebs, 2 asts
M.C. Watkins, SF --- 11 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts

EIU will finish up the regular season on the road, travelling to Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech before closing out at Tennessee-Martin. The Panthers only need one more victory to clinch their 2nd-straight OVC regular season title but are probably looking to push their winning streak into the OVC Tournament.

Current Record: 19-7 (15-2 OVC)
Next Game: EIU @ Eastern Kentucky

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EIU wins 2

Maye dominates again as EIU reaches 20-win plateau, clinches OVC title
EIU Basketball News

Sophomore C Skip Maye turned in a quiet but impressive week, much like the rest of the team, as EIU picked up 2 road victories to clinch their 2nd straight OVC regular season championship and push their winning streak to 8 games.

Maye notched a double-double in their first game of the week, scoring 10 points to complement his 12 rebounds in a 74-41 romp over Eastern Kentucky. The win gave the Panthers their 20th win of the season, their first back-to-back 20-win seasons since the mid-70's (20-8 in 1974-75 and 23-8 in 1975-76). Freshman C Ryan Morandais chipped in with 14 points.

In their 2nd matchup, EIU avoided the nail-biting battle they had last time with Tennessee Tech, opting this time to open the game with a 22-7 lead and never let it go. Maye dropped 14 on Tech in the 59-46 win.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 74
Eastern Kentucky, 41

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 10 pts, 12 rebs
Ryan Morandais, C --- 14 pts, 6 rebs, 2 stls, 2 blks

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 59
Tennessee Tech, 46

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 14 pts, 5 rebs, 2 blks
Iman Dearman, PF --- 10 pts, 5 rebs

Both wins completed the season sweeps of both teams for the Panthers. Next up, EIU will close out the regular season on the road at Tennessee-Martin. In their previous matchup, the Panthers dominated UT-Martin in a 72-55 win and will be looking for their 5th straight win in the series.

Current Record: 21-7 (17-2 OVC) *Clinched OVC regular season title*
Next Game: EIU @ Tennessee-Martin (Regular season finale)

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EIU wins but lose Dupre

Panthers dominate season finale, look ahead to OVC tourney
EIU Basketball News

EIU, led by another strong performance from sophomore sensation C Skip Maye, dominated Tennessee-Martin on the road to collect their 9th straight win and put yet another exclamation point on their 2nd straight OVC regular season championship.

Maye led all scorers with 24 points and fellow big man sophomore C J.D. Lovelace chipped in a solid 10 as the Panthers ran away with a 78-56 victory. EIU earns the #1 seed in the upcoming OVC Tournament thanks to their regular season title, but unfortunately will be missing an important piece as star PG D'or Dupre suffered an injury. See below for details.

EIU head coach Kyle Borland is also closing in on a major career milestone. The win over Tennessee-Martin gave Coach Borland his 99th career victory. In 6 years at EIU, he has a 99-79 career record.

Final Score:
Eastern Illinois, 78
Tennessee-Martin, 56

EIU Top Performers:
Skip Maye, C --- 24 pts, 8/16 FG
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 10 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts

EIU of course finishes at the top of OVC standings, winning the conference by an amazing 4 games. The final OVC standings are shown below.

Final OVC Standings
Note: OVC record in ()

1) Eastern Illinois --- 22-7 (18-2)
2) Murray State --- 16-11 (14-6)
3) Tennessee State --- 13-14 (13-7)
4) Eastern Kentucky --- 12-15 (11-9)
5) Austin Peay --- 11-15 (11-9)
6) Tennessee Tech --- 13-14 (10-10)
7) Samford --- 10-17 (8-12)
8) Tennessee-Martin --- 10-18 (8-12)
9) Morehead State --- 9-17 (8-12)
10) SE Missouri State --- 8-17 (6-14)
11) Jacksonville State --- 4-21 (3-17)

Thus, EIU will have a rematch with Tennessee-Martin in the 1st round. The OVC Tournament first round matchups are below.

OVC Tournament

First Round

#1 Eastern Illinois
#8 Tennessee-Martin

#4 Eastern Kentucky
#5 Austin Peay

#3 Tennessee State
#6 Tennessee Tech

#2 Murray State
#7 Samford

Unfortunately, EIU received some bad news following the season finale. Star PG D'or Dupre suffered a strained shoulder in the win, and it appears he will miss the entire OVC Tournament. Hopefully, if the Panthers are able to win the tourney title, he should return in time for the postseason game.

Last season, the Panthers entered the OVC Tournament as the #1 seed on a 10-game winning streak, breezed through the bracket to claim the OVC Tournament title and secured their 2nd NCAA Tournament bid in 3 years. This season, EIU enters the OVC Tournament again as a #1 seed on a 9-game winning streak. Will the cards fall in place yet again for Coach Borland and the Panthers?

Current Record: 22-7 (18-2) *OVC Regular Season Champs*
Next Game:#1 EIU vs. #8 Tennessee-Martin (OVC Tournament --- 1st Round)

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EIU wins

Coach Borland collects career win #100 as Panthers roll to 2nd round
EIU Basketball News

EIU head coach Kyle Borland picked up his 100th career victory as his Panthers rolled over Tennessee-Martin 66-40 and into the OVC Tournament semifinals. EIU was paced by sophomore C J.D. Lovelace's near double-double and senior SF Rod Bobik's "jack-of-all-trades" box score to push their winning streak to 10 games. EIU was without star PG D'or Dupre due to a strained shoulder but never trailed.

Final Score:
#1 Eastern Illinois, 66
#8 Tennessee-Martin, 40

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 11 pts, 9 rebs
Rod Bobik, SF --- 13 pts, 3 rebs, 4 asts, 4 blks, 6/9 FG

Coach Borland, following his 100th career win:
"It's a big honor to reach the 100-win plateau. I came to EIU to win and that's exactly what we've done here. It took us a few years to really get the program going and now it seems like we're unstoppable. All we can look forward to now is getting back to the NCAA Tournament, but we're taking it one game at a time."

There was really no upsets in the OVC Tournament 1st round, despite #5 seed Austin Peay's 4-point mimi-upset.

OVC Tournament

First Round

#1 Eastern Illinois, 66
#8 Tennessee-Martin, 40

#5 Austin Peay, 55
#4 Eastern Kentucky, 51

#3 Tennessee State, 60
#6 Tennessee Tech, 40

#2 Murray State, 54
#7 Samford, 33

The Panthers will meet up with Austin Peay in the semifinals for the 2nd straight year. Last season, EIU manhandled AP 61-38 to move on to the OVC final, and they will be looking to do the same this year. Unfortunately, with Dupre still out and Austin Peay already having a win over the Panthers this season, it could be a tough game for EIU.

Current Record: 23-7 (19-2 OVC)
Next Game: #1 EIU vs. #5 Austin Peay (OVC Tournament --- Semifinal)

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EIU moves on

EIU still dominates without Dupre, moves onto finals
EIU Basketball News

Despite it being their 3rd straight game without injured star PG D'or Dupre, EIU did not seem out of sync at all as they dominated #5 seed Austin Peay en route to a 56-42 semifinal victory that puts the Panthers in their 2nd straight OVC Tournament final and their 3rd in the last 4 years.

It was the senior leadership doing the most damage for EIU, as senior SF Rod Bobik notched a double-double and senior SG Lloyd Giles stepping into Dupre's role with a full box score.

Final Score:
#1 Eastern Illinois, 56
Austin Peay, 42

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 14 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts, 3 stls
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 14 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 3 blks

It was the top 2 seeds advancing in the semifinals as Murray State emerged victorious in a defensive battle.

OVC Tournament

Semifinals

#1 Eastern Illinois, 56
#5 Austin Peay, 42

#2 Murray State, 51
#3 Tennessee State, 45

The Panthers are 2-0 under head coach Kyle Borland in OVC Tournament finals, but they face a hungry Murray State team. The teams split the season series this season, with Murray State winning the conference opener and EIU answering back with a dominating win on Senior Night. Who will win the rubber match to determine the OVC's automatic bid?

Current Record: 24-7 (20-2 OVC)
Next Game: #1 EIU vs. #2 Murray State (OVC Tournament --- Final)

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EIU loses

EIU falls in OVC final, Tournament hopes now in jeopardy
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't hold onto a 10-point 2nd half lead as they lose 56-53 to an upstart Murray State team in the OVC Tournament final. The Panthers played strong for the majority of the game and led 46-36 with about 12 minutes left to play. It was the Racers that turned the tide, beginning with a dagger 3-pointer, and eventually took the lead at 50-48 with only 3 minutes to play. The Panthers scrambled to regain the lead but only shot 2-14 down the stretch, including sophomore SG Jacob McDaniel's missed 3-pointer with only 15 seconds left.

Murray State earns the OVC's automatic bid while EIU is left to sit and worry. Very few small conferences earn two bids to the NCAA Tournament, but the Panthers' 24 wins and decent non-conference schedule could put them in.

Final Score:
#2 Murray State, 56
#1 Eastern Illinois, 53

EIU Top Performers:
J.D. Lovelace, C --- 11 pts, 3 rebs
Lloyd Giles, SG --- 9 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks

Coach Borland, on the loss and his team's Tournament chances:
"Tough loss. It was clear the guys needed their leader out there and it's really unfortunate that he came down with his injury when he did. Either way we played tough and had a shot at the end and that's really all you can ask for in a tough battle. Now our fate is in the NCAA committee's hands. I feel that 24 wins and a regular season championship should be enough to get us in, even as a low seed, but really it's not my choice. All we can look forward to now is getting Dupre back and hoping for the best."

EIU will play the waiting game to see if they qualify for their 3rd NCAA Tournament in 4 years. EIU's postseason future will be announced later today.

Current Record: 24-8 (20-3)
Next Game: TBD

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EIU going to NIT

EIU snubbed from NCAA Tournament, will play in NIT
EIU Basketball News

EIU's hopes for the NCAA Tournament were put in major jeopardy with a surprise loss in the OVC Tournament final, but they were officially dashed today as they were left out of the Selection Sunday bracket. The Panthers, with a 24-8 record, hoped their win total and their 2nd straight OVC regular season title would be enough to sneak them into the NCAA Tournament but their low RPI and strength of schedule ultimately doomed their shot.

"It's really tough," Coach Borland stated following Selection Sunday. "We fought hard all season, had to deal with some injuries and team chemistry issues, but we eventually turned around a slow start and won the OVC. It's disappointing to see one simple loss to a team who already beat us earlier in the season affect our whole season."

It's rare when small conferences earn multiple bids to the NCAA Tournament and it was obviously proved today. EIU will play on in the NIT though, as they were invited immediately following Selection Sunday and will face a tough 22-9 Fairfield squad.

"Despite not making the Tournament, we still have to look ahead to our next game," Coach Borland stated. "Fairfield will be a tough matchup, but we do get Dupre back so we should be in good shape. A NIT Championship would be an excellent accomplishment!"

Star junior PG D'or Dupre missed all of the OVC Tournament due to a strained shoulder, but his recovery has went well and he will be at 100% for their NIT game. Many experts have claimed that the loss of Dupre cost the Panthers their shot at the OVC Tournament title, but his return should spark a solid run in the NIT.

Current Record: 24-8 (20-3 OVC)
Next Game: EIU vs. Fairfield (NIT --- 1st Round)

[KG]

Re: Kyle Borland Coaching Legacy (CH2K8)

solid legacy...are u playing the games or this just a coach mode?

[kblu54]

Re: Kyle Borland Coaching Legacy (CH2K8)

i play some but I mostly sim with hoopcast... i set timeouts and subs to manual so I can control the minutes played and such...

when I play I play on all-american, 20 minutes...

[kblu54]

EIU loses

Missed opportunities leads to first-round exit for EIU
EIU Basketball News

EIU couldn't capitalize on some late scoring opportunities and their hope for a deep NIT run were quickly ended in a heart-breaking 55-54 first-round loss to Fairfield. Star PG D'or Dupre returned from injury and chipped in 10 points, but the Panthers missed 4 shots down the stretch and couldn't grab a defensive rebound when they needed it most.

It was a tough back-and-forth battle all game for both squads, but it was Fairfield that went on a late run and led 55-47 when EIU took a timeout with 5 minutes to play. The timeout seemed to rejuvenate the Panthers, as they went on a run of their own and cut the lead to 55-54 with only two minutes to play. Unfortunately, EIU's heartbreak happened following a clutch steal by senior SG Lloyd Giles. The Panthers tried to work for the 2 points they needed for the lead, but they missed 4 consecutive shots before Fairfield secured a rebound with 45 seconds left. Opting not to foul, the Panthers played strong defense but allowed Fairfield to grab 2 huge offensive rebounds in the final minute. EIU finally got the ball back with 3 seconds left, and a half-court heave by Dupre missed wide right.

Final Score:
Fairfield, 55
Eastern Illinois, 54

EIU Top Performers:
Rod Bobik, SF --- 9 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts
D'or Dupre, PG --- 10 pts, 2 rebs, 2 asts, 2/5 3PT

The Panthers finish their sixth season under head coach Kyle Borland at 24-9. A very promising season got off to a slow start but went 16-1 the rest of the way to claim their 2nd straight OVC regular season championship. EIU breezed through the OVC Tournament despite missing an injured Dupre, but fell to Murray State in the OVC final. The heartbreak from the OVC game seems to have carried over into the NIT, as hope for a deep run was quickly dashed. What is next for Coach Borland and EIU? We shall cover that and more following the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament.

Final Record: 24-9 (20-3 OVC)