Gophers women's basketball faces 8-2 Eastern Illinois on Thursday

Thursday: 3 p.m. vs. Eastern Illinois. BTN+, 96.7-FM

Gophers update: This game, originally slated to start at 3:30, was moved up because of weather. This is the third time the Gophers have faced Eastern Illinois. The first was a loss in 2000, when current coach Lindsay Whalen was a freshman. The Gophers beat the Panthers by four in the 2020-21 season opener. Over their last five games, the Gophers have shot 43.7% overall, 39.2% on threes and scored 83.2 points per game. Fr. G Mara Braun is third in the Big Ten Conference in scoring (19.0). She had 21 in the Gophers' last game, a 75-59 victory over Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Fr. F Mallory Heyer has averaged 14.4 points, hitting 10 of 23 threes, in her last five games. So. C Rose Micheaux has scored in double figures in nine of 12 games.

Eastern Illinois update: The Panthers are 8-2 overall and have won two straight. They are 4-0 at home. They lead the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring (72.7), field goal percentage (44.5) and field goal percentage defense (37.9). Eastern Illinois and the Gophers have played three common opponents this season. The Panthers bested Western Illinois by two, a team the Gophers beat by 30. Eastern Illinois also beat Chicago State by 23 (the Gophers won by 51) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee by six (the Gophers won by 16). Sr. G Lariah Washington leads the OVC in scoring (20.2).