CHICAGO (November 11, 2019) – Off to its first 2-0 start in seven seasons, Loyola University Chicago opens up a four-game road trip that will see it travel over 5,000 round trip miles on Wednesday when it heads south to Charleston, Ill. to clash with Eastern Illinois in a 12 p.m. matinee inside Lantz Arena.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Allison Day scored with just 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation to send Loyola past Vermont, 78-76, last Friday in the 2019-20 home opener in Rogers Park.  Day finished with a career-best 19 points, while Abby O'Connor led all scorers with 23 points for Loyola, which shot a blistering 51.5 percent (33-of-64) as it picked up its second home-opening victory in as many seasons.

LOYOLA – EASTERN ILLINOIS – THE SERIES
Loyola and Eastern Illinois will meet for the 18th time on Wednesday in Charleston.  The Panthers own a slim 9-8 (.529) edge in the previous 17 encounters, but Loyola has prevailed in each of the last two meetings between the in-state foes.  When the teams last met back on November 18, 2015, Taylor Manuel poured in a game-high 28 points, leading a group of five Ramblers to reach double figures in scoring, as Loyola battled back late to force overtime en route to an 86-75 victory at Lantz Arena.

SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS
Eastern Illinois (1-1 overall), which was picked 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Preseason Poll, has split its first two games of the season, downing Lindenwood, 88-66, last Tuesday before dropping a tightly-contested 59-57 decision to Indiana State this past Sunday.  Matt Bollant is in his third season as head coach with the Panthers after leading the team to a 11-18 finish (5-13 OVC) last season, marking the program's highest win total since 2013-14.  Karle Pace was tabbed as a Preseason All-OVC selection after averaging a team-best 13.9 points in 2018-19.  Pace finds herself off to a fast start this season, topping the Panthers' scoring chart at 19.5 ppg, most recently pouring in 20 points against the Sycamores.  Abby Wahl, who ranks second in scoring at 16.5 ppg, leads the team in rebounding, pulling in 5.5 caroms per game.

UP NEXT
Loyola's current road trip rolls on when it makes the short trip south to battle Chicago State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19 at the Jones Convocation Center.