CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — Ohio Valley Conference rivals Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State will meet for the second time this season Saturday at Lantz Arena, with the visiting Redhawks looking to complete a regular-season sweep.

The Panthers (9-13) host the Redhawks (12-10) in a league matchup tipping off at approximately 4:15 p.m. EST on Jan. 31, 2026. Southeast Missouri won the first meeting 68-59 at home on Jan. 1.

The Redhawks enter with momentum from a 78-74 road victory over Western Illinois on Thursday. Marqueas Bell led the way with 15 points in 24 minutes, continuing a stretch of strong play. Over his last three games, Bell is averaging 11.7 points and 3.0 assists per contest. Brendan Terry (16 points) and Braxton Stacker (14 points) also provided key scoring in the win.

Eastern Illinois looks to rebound from a 76-68 home loss to Tennessee-Martin on Thursday. Terry McMorris paced the Panthers in that defeat, scoring 15 points and dishing four assists. McMorris has been a consistent contributor, reaching double figures in two of his last four games.

Southeast Missouri State has won three of its last five games, while Eastern Illinois has dropped three of its last four. The Redhawks’ offense has found a rhythm, averaging 73.2 points over their last five outings. Eastern Illinois, meanwhile, has struggled at times to score, failing to reach 70 points in six of its last eight games.

Historically, the series has been closely contested, adding intrigue to the mid-season rematch. The Panthers will need to contain Bell and the Redhawks’ perimeter attack to protect their home court and split the season series.

Following this game, Southeast Missouri State returns home to face Morehead State on Feb. 5. Eastern Illinois hits the road for a two-game swing at Tennessee State on Feb. 5 and Tennessee Tech on Feb. 7.