Eastern’s men’s basketball team has been on a roll to start the 2011-2012 season, winning six of its last seven games.

After three straight wins in Lantz Arena, the Panthers will take to the road for three games. They now sit at 6-2 overall this season. The first stop on the road trip is in-state rival Western Illinois.

Western Illinois enters the game with a 3-3 record; however the Leathernecks are 2-1 at home. The only blemish on the home record was a 67-66 loss to South Dakota State.

Western has put up a good fight against some tough opponents. The No. 19 nationally ranked Michigan Wolverines just snuck past the Leathernecks with a 59-55 win in Macomb.

The Leathernecks offense has struggled to put up points on a consistent basis, as they average 63.8 points per game. The offense is paced by freshman forward Obi Emegano. Emegano is putting together an impressive freshman campaign, averaging 14 points, 3.8 rebounds and shooting 63 percent from the field.

6-foot-7 forward Terell Parks gives Western a big presence in the post. Parks is the only other Leatherneck averaging double-digits in scoring. He is scoring 12.3 points per game and adding 10.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

Senior guard Ceola Clark gives the Leathernecks a threat from beyond the three-point line. Clark has made nine three’s this season and is shooting 33 percent from deep. Facilitating the offense, he scores 9.8 points and dishes out 5.6 assists per game.

The Panthers offense has been potent this season. They lead the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring with 78.4 points per game. They are also amongst the nation’s best assists teams. Averaging 16.9 assists per game, the Panthers are ranked No. 17 in the nation in assists.

Eastern is led by senior guard Jeremy Granger, who leads the team with 17 points per game. Granger is also averaging 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and one steal per game. Granger, who injured his shoulder in the Panthers’ overtime win against Maine, appeared to have hurt it again in Wednsday’s game against Oakland City.

“He got hit. He just keeps getting hit,” Eastern head coach Mike Miller said. “It’s very, very tender, and he’s been taking a shot every game for it.”

Despite the injury, Granger still managed to score nine points, going 4-for-5 in the game.

The game between the Leathernecks and the Panthers will be the 155th meeting between the two teams. Eastern won the last meeting in Macomb, winning 44-41. The game would make history, marking the lowest scoring combined total for both teams in Eastern’s NCAA Division I history.

Tip-off for this non-conference rivalry game is set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Macomb.

Rob Mortell can be reached at 581-7942 or rdmortell@eiu.edu

Dominic Renzetti contributed to this story.