Fruster leads Eastern Illinois against SIU-Edwardsville after 23-point game

SIU-Edwardsville Cougars (9-6, 2-2 OVC) at Eastern Illinois Panthers (5-9, 1-2 OVC)

Charleston, Illinois; Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Illinois faces SIU-Edwardsville after Zion Fruster scored 23 points in Eastern Illinois' 75-67 loss to the Western Illinois Leathernecks.

The Panthers have gone 5-1 in home games. Eastern Illinois allows 74.4 points and has been outscored by 3.1 points per game.

The Cougars are 2-2 in OVC play. SIU-Edwardsville is third in the OVC with 36.2 rebounds per game led by Ring Malith averaging 6.3.

Eastern Illinois scores 71.3 points, 5.6 more per game than the 65.7 SIU-Edwardsville allows. SIU-Edwardsville averages 8.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer made shots on average than the 10.0 per game Eastern Illinois gives up.

The Panthers and Cougars meet Tuesday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kooper Jacobi is averaging 13.6 points and 9.4 rebounds for the Panthers.

Malith is averaging 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Cougars.

LAST 10 GAMES: Panthers: 4-6, averaging 72.1 points, 33.2 rebounds, 11.9 assists, 9.5 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.2 points per game.

Cougars: 6-4, averaging 72.6 points, 35.9 rebounds, 14.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 43.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.1 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.