RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team opens the OVC tournament on the road for the third straight year as the No. 5 seed Colonels travel to No. 4 Eastern Illinois Tuesday. The OVC quarterfinal game is set to tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Eastern Kentucky (20-11, 11-7 OVC) finished in a tie for third place with Austin Peay and Eastern Illinois in the final OVC standings, but lost tie-breakers to both clubs and was seeded fifth. The Colonels went 4-5 on the road against OVC foes this year including a 77-54 loss at Eastern Illinois on Feb. 13. Junior Justin Stommes has been Eastern Kentucky’s most consistent player in OVC road games, averaging 12.8 ppg while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor and 42.1 percent from three-point range. Stommes was held to six points in the last meeting against EIU.

Eastern Illinois (18-11, 11-7 OVC) is the hottest team in the OVC as the Panthers have won seven straight games. EIU is hosting its first OVC tournament game since 2001. Eastern Illinois held off Tennessee State on Saturday, 66-61, to clinch a top four seed in the tourney. Guard Tyler Laser leads the team in scoring at 14.1 ppg while center Ousmane Cisse averages a team-high 6.7 rpg.

This is the first meeting between EKU and Eastern Illinois in the OVC tournament. Since the OVC expanded its tournament to eight teams in 1997, the No. 5 seed is 3-10 against the No. 4 seed. Three of the games have gone to overtime with the No. 4 seed prevailing on each occasion. This is the second straight year EKU has been the No. 5 seed.

A win over Eastern Illinois would put the Colonels in the OVC tournament semifinals for the first time in three years. EKU would play the winner of the Murray State-Tennessee State game on Friday in Nashville, Tenn.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

OVC Tournament Bracket
--Click here

Game Notes
--Click here for game notes!

Television
--None

Video Streaming
--Tuesday’s game can be seen on the web as part of OVCSports.tv. The cost is $5.95. Click here for live video stream!

Live Audio
--Tuesday’s game can be heard locally on WCYO 100.7 FM. Click here for live radio broadcast!

Live Stats
--Click here for live stats!

Tickets
--Tickets are available by calling the Eastern Illinois ticket office at 217-581-2106

Directions
--Click here for directions to Eastern Illinois University.

Storylines
--The Colonels are 0-5 in OVC tournament road games since 1997.

--Eastern Kentucky was held to a season-low 21 first half points at Eastern Illinois on Feb. 13.

--Eastern is 12-0 this year when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor. The Colonels shot 56.3 percent (27-of-48) from the floor in the first meeting against EIU on Jan. 14.