Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Eastern Illinois vs Southeast Missouri State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Cape Girardeau.

Eastern Illinois vs Southeast Missouri State Prediction

Looking to win big? The Panthers and Redhawks face off at 8:30 ET on ESPN+. The Redhawks are hosting the game at Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, MO. This Ohio Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 139.5 points, and Southeast Missouri State is favored to win by -5.5 at home vs. Eastern Illinois.

Eastern Illinois vs. Southeast Missouri State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Eastern Illinois Panthers at Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
Where: Cape Girardeau at Show Me Center
Date: Thursday, December 19th
Betting Odds SEMST -5.5, EILL +192 | SEMST -240 O/U 139.5

Panthers Preview: Can Eastern Illinois Pull Off a Road Win?

Eastern Illinois Panthers Recent Game/Games

The Panthers dropped to 1-7 on the season after an 81-66 road loss to Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. Entering the game as +10 point underdogs, Eastern Illinois not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Eastern Illinois trailed 39-28 at halftime and couldn’t mount a comeback, as they were outscored 42-38 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game were 147, surpassing the O/U line of 141.5.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Eastern Illinois struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, shooting just 16.7% on 3-pointers (3/18) and finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 44.8%. Overall, they shot 41.8% from the field, with a 51% success rate on two-point attempts (25/49). Their free-throw shooting was also a concern, as they hit only 46.7% from the line (7/15).

On the offensive glass, the Panthers grabbed 18 rebounds, but they managed just 7 assists as a team. Nakyel Shelton led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 55.6% from the field. George Kimble III added 18 points and 5 assists, despite shooting 33.3% overall and 27.3% from deep.

Panthers Team Defense

Eastern Illinois struggled defensively, giving up 81 points on 45% shooting from the field. They allowed 28 made field goals on 62 attempts.

The Panthers gave up 17 threes on 38 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 44% from beyond the arc. They also sent their opponents to the line 12 times, where they made 8 free throws.

Redhawks Preview: Will Southeast Missouri State Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

The Redhawks dropped to 2-6 this season after a 73-53 road loss to Murray State on Sunday. Entering the game as +15.5 point underdogs, Southeast Missouri State not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After a competitive first half, tied at 33, the Redhawks struggled in the second half, scoring just 20 points while allowing 40. The game’s total points of 126 fell short of the O/U line of 147.

Redhawks Offense Breakdown

Southeast Missouri State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 53 points with a field goal percentage of 40.4% and an effective field goal percentage of 44.2%. They hit only 4 of 13 from beyond the arc, shooting 30.8%, and connected on 63.6% of their free throws, going 7 for 11.

JaCobi Wood led the way with 23 points and 9 rebounds, hitting 3 of 4 from three-point range and shooting 53.3% overall. Nick Ellington was efficient, making 6 of 8 shots, while Terence Harcum and Teddy Washington Jr. each added 12 points, with Harcum hitting 3 threes on 7 attempts.

Redhawks Team Defense

Southeast Missouri State's defense gave up 73 points, with their opponents shooting 48% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 17 of 36 shooting, a 47% rate.

From three-point range, the Redhawks' defense saw their opponents hit 9 of 18 attempts, a 50% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 20 times, where they made 12 free throws.

Panthers vs Redhawks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Eastern Illinois has a straight up record of 0-3 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 59 points per game in these games.
Southeast Missouri State has a 1-4 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 66 points per game while allowing 76. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Panthers have a straight up record of 0-5. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
As the betting favorite, the Redhawks have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 2-1.