CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking a foothold in the Ohio Valley Conference will meet Saturday when the Eastern Illinois Panthers host the Tennessee State Tigers in a women’s basketball matchup.

The game, scheduled for Jan. 10, 2026, at Lantz Arena, features programs with identical 0-1 starts in league play and similar struggles this season. Tennessee State (2-12) arrives after a 59-76 loss at Western Illinois on Thursday. Eastern Illinois (2-14) is coming off a narrow 75-74 home victory over Tennessee Tech that same day, snapping a five-game skid.

The Panthers will lean on guard Ava Stoller, who is coming off a 39-minute, 15-point, four-assist performance in the win. Stoller has been a consistent offensive engine, scoring in double figures in three of her last five games, including a 22-point effort in a double-overtime loss to SIU Edwardsville last month.

For the Tigers, forward Kiki Roberts is a key figure. She logged 27 minutes and scored eight points in the loss to Western Illinois and has shown flashes of production, including a 13-point game against Tennessee-Martin in December. Tennessee State’s offense has sputtered, however, failing to reach 60 points in four of its last five contests.

Eastern Illinois’s win over Tennessee Tech provided a rare bright spot in a season marked by offensive challenges. Prior to that, the Panthers had not scored more than 68 points in their previous nine games.

The Tigers’ only wins this season came at home against North Alabama on Nov. 19 and Southeast Missouri State on Dec. 20. They have lost eight of their last nine overall.

Saturday’s contest represents an early opportunity for either team to gain conference traction. The rematch is set for Thursday, Feb. 5, in Nashville.