EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Tennessee State men's basketball will continue the road trip with two OVC games in Illinois this weekend. 

The Matchup: Tennessee State Tigers (8-12, 3-5 OVC) vs. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Cougars (7-12, 1-5 OVC)
Date/Time: Thursday, January 27 || approx. 7:30 p.m. (CST)
Location: First Community Arena || Edwardsville, Ill.

The Matchup: Tennessee State Tigers (9-12, 4-5 OVC) vs. Eastern Illinois Panthers (3-17, 1-6 OVC)
Date/Time: Saturday, January 29 || approx. 3:30 p.m. (CST)
Location: Lantz Arena || Charleston, Ill.

Watch vs. SIUE: ESPN+ will carry the game live.

Live Stats at SIUE: To follow live coverage of the game through the stats link, click here.

Watch at EIU: ESPN+ will carry the game live.

Listen to EIU: For an audio broadcast, head to www.eiupanthers.com or click here.

Live Stats at EIU: To follow live coverage of the game through the stats link, click here.

Last Time out for TSU: Tennessee State traveled to Morehead State and fell to the undefeated conference foe, 67-54. Carlos Marshall Jr. logged a game-high 22 points, four rebounds and three steals. Kassim Nicholson posted his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Morehead State's Johni Broome registered his OVC-leading 13th double-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks and three steals.

Experienced Tigers: Tennessee State is led by Carlos Marshall Jr. and Kassim Nicholson. Marshall Jr. eclipsed the 1,000 point mark in his collegiate career last week. Nicholson's ranked second in the OVC in double-doubles after recording his seventh of the year against SIUE.

Slim Boogie: Tennessee State was represented by Kassim Nicholson in the HBCU All-Star Player of the Week awards. Nicholson earned HBCU Independent Player of the Week for the third time this season. The Jackson, Mississippi native averaged 12.3 points and seven rebounds while he shot 68% from the field over a three-game stretch. In the most recent game against Morehead State, he logged his sixth double-double of the year – tied for second in the OVC.

HBCU Team of the Week: TSU was tabbed HBCU Independent Team of the Week on Jan. 26. The Tigers secured two OVC victories over Tennessee Tech and Austin Peay. Tennessee State averaged 69 points per game on 47% from three-point range.

Last Time Out for SIU-Edwardsville: The Cougars lost at UT Martin on Monday night in a rescheduled contest, 76-70. The Skyhawks led by 12 at the half, 34-22, after a 20-5 scoring stretch. SIUE attempted to rally as they shot 52% from the field in the second half, however, they missed 11 free-throws (13-for-24) which ultimately sealed the loss. SIUE's Shaun Doss Jr. flirted with a double-double as he registered 15 points and eight rebounds. The Cougars had four scorers in double-figures.

Series History v. SIUE: The Tigers hold a slim advantage in the series, 9-5. The Cougars secured the win in the most recent meeting, 68-60 at SIUE (2/4/21). The initial meeting of the series took place in 1971 as TSU earned the 107-94 victory on the Nashville campus. At SIUE, the teams are even at three wins apiece.

Last Time Out for EIU: Eastern Illinois snapped a 10-game losing streak with a victory over UT Martin, 58-53, on Thursday evening (1/27). Sammy Friday IV led the team with 13 points on 6-of-7 from the field. Paul Bizimana filled up the stat sheet with four points, six rebounds, three assists, four blocks and a steal. All seven players in uniform for EIU would make their way into the score column.

Series History vs. Eastern Illinois: The Tigers hold a lead in the series, 32-24, however, the Panthers own the bragging rights in Eastern Illinois, 16-12. In the most recent meeting, EIU defeated TSU, 86-72, in Charleston, Ill. Shakem Johnson grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in the contest. 52.7% of TSU's points were recorded in the paint. Coach Penny Collins is 2-2 against EIU.

Concerns at Home: Eastern Illinois is currently on a four-game losing streak at home. The Panthers are 2-6 on their home court. EIU allows 72.0 points to opponents and has been outscored by 16.2 points per game. The team's leader in minutes, Henry Abraham, entered the transfer portal last week. Abraham led the team in three-pointers made (25) and ranked second in assists (43) and steals (15).

Social: Follow @TSUTigersMBB on Twitter and Instagram or visit www.tsutigers.com for more information.