- Matchup: Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Valparaiso Beacons
- Scheduled Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
- Venue: Athletics-Recreation Center, Valparaiso, IN
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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This upcoming clash will see the Valparaiso Beacons (15-19 in the previous season) face off against the Eastern Illinois Panthers (12-19 last year) at the Athletics-Recreation Center.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers recently secured a 73-58 victory over SE Missouri State in their last outing. The Panthers showcased a shooting efficiency of 41.4% (24 out of 58) and successfully landed 5 of 13 three-pointers. At the free throw line, they excelled by sinking 20 of 23 attempts, resulting in an impressive 87.0% success rate. On the boards, they dominated with 36 rebounds, including 10 offensive ones, and distributed 8 assists. Their defensive effort forced 19 turnovers from the opposition, leading to 14 steals. In terms of defense, the Panthers restricted SE Missouri State to a shooting percentage of 34.6% (18 out of 52). SE Missouri State registered 13 assists and managed to secure 31 rebounds (7 offensive, 24 defensive), transitioning to a shooting 61.1% from the free throw line with 11 out of 18 made. They struggled from long-range, hitting 11 out of 27 attempts. Personal fouls showed a 19-21 split in favor of SE Missouri State.
Nakyel Shelton was a standout performer, contributing 28 points on 9 of 15 shooting, playing 34 minutes, and gathering 2 rebounds. His scoring accuracy reached 60.0%, although he did not record any assists.
The Panthers enter this matchup aiming to improve upon their 12-19 record from the last season. They averaged 12.5 turnovers and committed 18.6 fouls per game. As a collective, Eastern Illinois pulled down 35.3 rebounds per competition and secured 350 assists overall, ranking them 344th in Division 1 for passing. The team hit 31.9% on three-point attempts (166 of 520) and achieved a free throw percentage of 67.8%. Their scoring average stood at 66.5 points per game, ranking them 341st in Division 1, while their field goal percentage was 41.2%.
On the defensive front, the Panthers managed to force an average of 15.0 turnovers per game, while drawing 16.7 fouls. Last season, they ranked 195th in college basketball for assists given up, with a total of 439. Opponents shot 42.5% against their defense (714 of 1,680), and they averaged 36.3 rebounds per game. Their opponents scored 34.7% from beyond the arc, ranking them 83rd in Division 1 for points allowed per game (69.0).
In their last contest, the Valparaiso Beacons were edged out by Bradley, ending with a score of 70-65. In terms of rebounding, Valparaiso allowed Bradley to achieve 34 rebounds (6 offensive). They shot 31.3% from the three-point line, making 5 of 16 attempts, and only converted 17 out of 28 free throw attempts for a 60.7% success rate. The Beacons permitted Bradley to finish with a shooting percentage of 48.0%, hitting 24 of 50 tries. Overall, Valparaiso shot 36.1% from the field, going 22 out of 61. They did, however, find success from distance, shooting 38.5% with 10 out of 26. At the charity stripe, they made 11 attempts, hitting 84.6%. Bradley committed 9 fouls, which provided Valparaiso with 13 free throw opportunities. They turned the ball over 7 times but recorded 4 steals, finishing with 36 total rebounds (26 defensive and 10 offensive).
All Wright was pivotal for the Beacons, scoring 24 points with a shooting accuracy of 45.0% (9 out of 20), alongside 2 rebounds and 3 assists over his 38 minutes on the court.
Last season, the Valparaiso Beacons recorded a 15-19 record. They averaged 16.4 fouls per game and achieved an impressive 79.0% from the free throw line. They contributed 12.0 assists per game (ranking 294th in Division 1) while limiting themselves to just 9.7 turnovers per match. The Beacons scored a total of 2,539 points throughout the year, averaging 74.7 per game and securing 34.5 rebounds per contest, while shooting 42.7% from the field, positioning them 289th in college.
Defensively, Valparaiso allowed opponents to shoot 34.6% from three-point range (246 of 712) and conceded 70.6% at the charity stripe. They permitted an average of 13.6 assists and 35.6 rebounds per game, placing 220th and 252nd in Division 1, respectively. On the defensive end, they ranked 238th in points allowed per game (73.9), forcing 11.8 turnovers and permitting a shooting percentage of 46.2% from opponents (314th in college basketball).
Who will cover the spread in tonight’s NCAA showdown?
Prediction: Back Eastern Illinois
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