Eastern Illinois Tops Tennessee Tech 71-61 at Home
Thursday, January 8, 2026, 8:30 PM ET · Groniger Arena
Eastern Illinois Panthers 71, Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 61, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
The next free pick, for your email
Team, bet, price and the hash it was sealed under, on this page the moment you send. Lose or win, it stays public.
or by email
Public record of the main pick, losses included: 115 won, 44 lost. See every pick
One free pick a day by email until you unsubscribe, in one click. 21+.
Quick answers
Who won Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles vs Eastern Illinois Panthers?
Eastern Illinois Panthers beat Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 71-61 at Groniger Arena on January 8, 2026.
Who was favored in Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles vs Eastern Illinois Panthers?
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -115 (about 53% implied). The underdog won.
In a decisive matchup, the Eastern Illinois Panthers defeated the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 71-61 at Groniger Arena. This victory marks a significant turnaround for Eastern Illinois, who has struggled recently with a record of 2-7-1 in their last ten games, but managed to secure a win against an opponent they have previously lost to twice this season.
Eastern Illinois came into the game with a home record of 5-10, while Tennessee Tech held a slightly better away record of 6-10. In their last ten games, the Panthers averaged 61.4 points scored and allowed 67.9 points, whereas the Golden Eagles averaged 77.2 points scored but allowed a concerning 84.7 points. The Panthers had been on a two-game losing streak prior to this victory, while Tennessee Tech was on a three-game losing streak.
The teams had faced each other twice in the previous season, with Eastern Illinois losing both encounters. The first meeting on January 10, 2025, ended in a 64-69 defeat for the Panthers, followed by a close 54-59 loss on February 8, 2025. This game was crucial for Eastern Illinois to break that trend and assert their home advantage.
The game was tightly contested, especially in the first half, but Eastern Illinois pulled away in the second half. Key moments included free throws from JaJuan Nicholls and Zion Fruster, which helped maintain the Panthers' lead. Fruster also contributed with a critical layup that pushed the score to 71-61, solidifying the Panthers' victory.
In terms of betting, DraftKings had the spread set at 1.5 in favor of Tennessee Tech, with a total of 140.5 for the game. The moneyline odds were -105 for Eastern Illinois and -115 for Tennessee Tech. The conditions inside Groniger Arena were conducive to a competitive game, with the home crowd supporting the Panthers.
Injuries were not mentioned in the provided facts, but both teams had been dealing with challenges in their recent form. As a result of this game, Eastern Illinois improved their standing and showcased their potential to compete effectively at home.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | TNTC -1.5 | 140.5 o -105 / u -115 | Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles -115 · Eastern Illinois Panthers -105 |
Leaders
- PointsAndre Washington20Eastern Illinois Panthers
- AssistsMeechie White3Eastern Illinois Panthers
- ReboundsKooper Jacobi7Eastern Illinois Panthers
- PointsJah'Kim Payne11Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
- AssistsTy Owens4Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
- ReboundsMekhi Cameron5Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Recent form
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Last 10: 2-7-1Streak L261.4 scored · 67.9 allowed per game2-2 at home
- 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
- L60-81at Central Arkansas BearsNov 26
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Last 10: 4-6Streak L377.2 scored · 84.7 allowed per game2-4 away
- L58-77at Little Rock TrojansJan 1
- L76-88vs Tennessee State TigersDec 31
- L62-86vs UT Martin SkyhawksDec 20
- W85-74vs Southeast Missouri State RedhawksDec 19
- W101-69vs Bethel (TN) WildcatsDec 13
- W87-59at West Georgia WolvesDec 6
- L80-83at Lipscomb BisonsDec 3
- L81-123at Georgia BulldogsNov 29
- L54-104at Kentucky WildcatsNov 27
- W88-84at South Carolina Upstate SpartansNov 20
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Tennessee State | 23-11 | - | 13-5 |
| Mercer | 19-13 | 2 | 11-7 |
| Wofford | 19-13 | 2 | 11-7 |
| Samford | 18-14 | 2 | 11-7 |
| Furman | 22-13 | 3 | 10-8 |
| Western Carolina | 15-16 | 3 | 10-8 |
| UNC Greensboro | 15-19 | 4 | 9-9 |
| Chattanooga | 13-19 | 6 | 7-11 |
| The Citadel | 11-22 | 6 | 7-11 |
| VMI | 6-26 | 12 | 1-17 |
| 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 Tech Golden Eagles | Eastern Illinois Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 18-46 | 25-57 |
| Field goal % | 39 | 44 |
| Three-pointers | 6-20 | 8-21 |
| Three-point % | 30 | 38 |
| Free throws | 19-21 | 13-18 |
| Free throw % | 90 | 72 |
| Rebounds | 31 | 30 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 11 |
| Defensive rebounds | 22 | 19 |
| Assists | 12 | 10 |
| Steals | 1 | 9 |
| Blocks | 4 | 0 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 8 |
| Team turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 2 | 23 |
| Fast-break points | 6 | 16 |
| Points in the paint | 20 | 32 |
| Fouls | 16 | 18 |
| Largest lead | 10 | 12 |
| Lead changes | 1 | 1 |
| Time in front | 72 | 22 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half36-31Nazareth Fisher makes 2-foot dunk (Kooper Jacobi assists)
- 2nd Half38-31Ty Owens makes layup (Malik Ferguson assists)
- 2nd Half38-33Andre Washington makes 15-foot jumper
- 2nd Half38-36Andre Washington makes 25-foot three point jumper (Meechie White assists)
- 2nd Half40-36Malik Ferguson makes layup (Ty Owens assists)
- 2nd Half41-36Mekhi Cameron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half42-36Mekhi Cameron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half42-37Meechie White makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half42-38Meechie White makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half42-41Andre Washington makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kooper Jacobi assists)
- 2nd Half44-41Mekhi Turner makes 4-foot dunk (Malik Ferguson assists)
- 2nd Half44-42Kooper Jacobi makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half44-43Kooper Jacobi makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half45-43Mekhi Cameron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half46-43Mekhi Cameron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half46-45Preston Turner makes 1-foot dunk (Meechie White assists)
- 2nd Half48-45Mekhi Turner makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half48-47Preston Turner makes layup
- 2nd Half48-49Kooper Jacobi makes layup
- 2nd Half48-51Zion Fruster makes layup
- 2nd Half49-51JaJuan Nicholls makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half49-53Andre Washington makes layup
- 2nd Half49-55Kooper Jacobi makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half49-57Andre Washington makes layup
- 2nd Half50-57Mekhi Cameron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half51-57Mekhi Cameron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-59Meechie White makes layup
- 2nd Half51-61Meechie White makes layup
- 2nd Half53-61Ty Owens makes layup
- 2nd Half55-61Malik Ferguson makes layup (Ty Owens assists)
- 2nd Half55-64Andre Washington makes 24-foot three point jumper (Prince Johnson assists)
- 2nd Half55-67Meechie White makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half56-67JaJuan Nicholls makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half57-67JaJuan Nicholls makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half57-68Zion Fruster makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half57-69Zion Fruster makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half58-69Ja'Quavian Florence makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half59-69Ja'Quavian Florence makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half61-69Malik Ferguson makes layup (Grant Slatten assists)
- 2nd Half61-71Zion Fruster makes layup (Meechie White assists)
Win probability
Above the line favours Eastern Illinois Panthers, below favours Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.
Venue
- Groniger ArenaCharleston, IL
- Attendance736
- OfficialsGene Grimshaw, Kevin Mathis, Eric Lowe
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