Eastern Illinois Tops Tennessee State in Close Contest
Saturday, January 10, 2026, 4:30 PM ET · Groniger Arena
Eastern Illinois Panthers 74, Tennessee State Tigers 70, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Tennessee State Tigers vs Eastern Illinois Panthers?
Eastern Illinois Panthers beat Tennessee State Tigers 74-70 at Groniger Arena on January 10, 2026.
Who was favored in Tennessee State Tigers vs Eastern Illinois Panthers?
Tennessee State Tigers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -175 (about 64% implied). The underdog won.
In a thrilling matchup at Groniger Arena, the Eastern Illinois Panthers edged out the Tennessee State Tigers with a final score of 74-70. This victory marks a significant moment for the Panthers, who have struggled throughout the season with a home record of 6-10, while the Tigers came into the game with a stronger away record of 10-6. The win also breaks a two-game losing streak against Tennessee State, as they had previously lost both encounters last season.
The Panthers' recent form has shown signs of improvement, as they entered this game with a record of 3-6-1 in their last ten games, including a recent win against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on January 9, where they won 71-61. Their scoring average over those ten games was 62.5 points per game, while allowing 65.9 points. Notably, they had a strong performance at home, boasting a 3-2 record in their last five home games, with an average score of 75.4 points and allowing 64.4 points.
On the other hand, the Tennessee State Tigers were riding a three-game winning streak, having won eight of their last ten games. Their recent performances included a dominant win against the Western Illinois Leathernecks on January 9, where they scored 90 points. The Tigers averaged 78.1 points while allowing 73.9 points in their last ten games, showcasing their offensive capabilities. However, their away record was impressive at 6-1, indicating their ability to perform on the road.
The game was tightly contested throughout, with several lead changes and moments of high tension. The scoring plays in the second half were pivotal, including a layup by Nazareth Fisher that brought the Tigers within four points at 70-66. Khalil London’s free throws also kept the Tigers in contention, but the Panthers managed to maintain their lead with crucial free throws from Zion Fruster, who scored a total of 10 points in the game.
In terms of head-to-head matchups, this victory is particularly significant for Eastern Illinois as they had lost their previous two encounters with Tennessee State, including a 66-49 defeat at home last season. The Panthers have now improved their head-to-head record against the Tigers to 1-2.
The odds from DraftKings prior to the game favored Tennessee State, with a spread of 3.5 points in their favor and a total set at 144.5. The moneyline reflected a -175 for the Tigers and +145 for the Panthers, indicating the market's expectation of a closer contest than ultimately transpired.
The conditions at Groniger Arena were conducive to an exciting game, with fans witnessing a competitive atmosphere. The players were energized, and the close scoreline kept the audience engaged until the final buzzer.
Overall, this game showcased the resilience of the Eastern Illinois Panthers, who are beginning to find their rhythm as the season progresses. Their ability to hold off a strong Tennessee State team will be crucial as they look to build on this momentum in upcoming fixtures.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | TNST -3.5 | 144.5 o -108 / u -112 | Tennessee State Tigers -175 · Eastern Illinois Panthers +145 |
Leaders
- PointsZion Fruster19Eastern Illinois Panthers
- AssistsMeechie White7Eastern Illinois Panthers
- ReboundsMeechie White7Eastern Illinois Panthers
- PointsKhalil London23Tennessee State Tigers
- AssistsDante Harris7Tennessee State Tigers
- ReboundsDante Harris8Tennessee State Tigers
Recent form
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Last 10: 3-6-1Streak W162.5 scored · 65.9 allowed per game3-2 at home
- W71-61vs Tennessee Tech Golden EaglesJan 9
- L61-65at UT Martin SkyhawksJan 3
- L59-68at Southeast Missouri State RedhawksJan 2
- W110-56vs East West PhantomsDec 22
- W76-72vs SIU Edwardsville CougarsDec 18
- L53-78at Iowa State CyclonesDec 14
- L59-68vs Eastern Kentucky ColonelsDec 11
- L74-82vs Lindenwood LionsDec 7
- D0-0vs Blackburn BeaversDec 2
- L62-109at Purdue BoilermakersNov 28
Tennessee State Tigers
Last 10: 8-2Streak W378.1 scored · 73.9 allowed per game6-1 away
- W90-68at Western Illinois LeathernecksJan 9
- W84-79at Little Rock TrojansJan 3
- W88-76at Tennessee Tech Golden EaglesDec 31
- L82-91vs Southeast Missouri State RedhawksDec 20
- W78-71vs UT Martin SkyhawksDec 19
- W63-60at UNLV RebelsDec 14
- L53-80at Alabama A&M BulldogsDec 4
- W70-64at Chattanooga MocsNov 30
- W98-77vs Tennessee Wesleyan BulldogsNov 29
- W75-73at UNC Asheville BulldogsNov 25
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee State | 23-10 | - | 15-5 |
| Morehead State | 20-13 | - | 15-5 |
| Southeast Missouri State | 20-13 | 1 | 14-6 |
| UT Martin | 22-11 | 2 | 13-7 |
| SIU Edwardsville | 19-13 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Lindenwood | 18-15 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Little Rock | 12-20 | 6 | 9-11 |
| Tennessee Tech | 13-18 | 6 | 8-12 |
| Eastern Illinois | 13-20 | 7 | 8-12 |
| Southern Indiana | 7-23 | 11 | 4-16 |
| Western Illinois | 5-26 | 14 | 1-19 |
Box score
| Stat | Tennessee State Tigers | Eastern Illinois Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 24-59 | 28-61 |
| Field goal % | 41 | 46 |
| Three-pointers | 6-23 | 9-20 |
| Three-point % | 26 | 45 |
| Free throws | 16-22 | 9-11 |
| Free throw % | 73 | 82 |
| Rebounds | 35 | 38 |
| Offensive rebounds | 11 | 11 |
| Defensive rebounds | 24 | 27 |
| Assists | 14 | 21 |
| Steals | 6 | 8 |
| Blocks | 8 | 4 |
| Turnovers | 12 | 11 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 11 | 16 |
| Fast-break points | 12 | 18 |
| Points in the paint | 26 | 34 |
| Fouls | 15 | 18 |
| Largest lead | 0 | 20 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 0 | 95 |
How the scoring went
- 1st Half33-42Zion Fruster makes layup (Kooper Jacobi assists)
- 2nd Half34-42Travis Harper II makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half35-42Travis Harper II makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half37-42Travis Harper II makes 2-foot dunk (Khalil London assists)
- 2nd Half37-44Nazareth Fisher makes 1-foot dunk (Kooper Jacobi assists)
- 2nd Half38-44Travis Harper II makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half39-44Travis Harper II makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half39-46Zion Fruster makes layup (Meechie White assists)
- 2nd Half39-49Preston Turner makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half39-50Kooper Jacobi makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half39-51Kooper Jacobi makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half41-51Khalil London makes 7-foot jumper
- 2nd Half43-51Khalil London makes 11-foot jumper
- 2nd Half43-52Kooper Jacobi makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half45-52Khalil London makes 12-foot jumper
- 2nd Half48-52Khalil London makes 22-foot three point jumper (Dante Harris assists)
- 2nd Half50-52Carlous Williams makes 4-foot dunk (Dante Harris assists)
- 2nd Half50-54Zion Fruster makes 14-foot jumper (Malik Olafioye assists)
- 2nd Half50-56Andre Washington makes layup
- 2nd Half52-56Khalil London makes 17-foot jumper
- 2nd Half52-59Zion Fruster makes 24-foot three point jumper (Kooper Jacobi assists)
- 2nd Half54-59Jalen Pitre makes layup (Khalil London assists)
- 2nd Half57-59Khalil London makes 26-foot three point jumper (Travis Harper II assists)
- 2nd Half57-61Kooper Jacobi makes 13-foot jumper (Zion Fruster assists)
- 2nd Half60-61Travis Harper II makes 22-foot three point jumper (Dante Harris assists)
- 2nd Half60-64Meechie White makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kooper Jacobi assists)
- 2nd Half62-64Dante Harris makes layup
- 2nd Half64-64Jalen Pitre makes 4-foot dunk (Dante Harris assists)
- 2nd Half64-66Zion Fruster makes 12-foot jumper (Preston Turner assists)
- 2nd Half65-66Carlous Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-66Carlous Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half66-68Nazareth Fisher makes layup (Zion Fruster assists)
- 2nd Half66-70Nazareth Fisher makes layup (Zion Fruster assists)
- 2nd Half67-70Khalil London makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half68-70Khalil London makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half69-70Dante Harris makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half69-72Zion Fruster makes layup (Meechie White assists)
- 2nd Half69-73Zion Fruster makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half69-74Zion Fruster makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half70-74Dante Harris makes free throw 2 of 3
Win probability
Above the line favours Eastern Illinois Panthers, below favours Tennessee State Tigers.
Venue
- Groniger ArenaCharleston, IL
- Attendance1137
- OfficialsDavid Carter, Michael Ingram, Wesley Harper
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond