The Eastern women’s basketball team regained its defensive intensity. The Panthers’ offensive proficiency still remains the big question.

In Thursday’s 67-60 home loss to Jacksonville State, the Panthers made 8-of-31 shots in the first half and finished 20-for-63 (31 percent).

The problem here is that everyone has a different reason for why the shots are not falling.

“We can’t get the shooters the ball with 19 turnovers,” said senior forward Lauren Sims, who had four points and 12 rebounds.

“There’s mental games being played right now,” said senior guard Megan Sparks, who scored eight points and shot 2-for-16.

“We need to attack the rim and get to the free throw line,” Eastern head coach Brady Sallee said.

Any of the aforementioned reasons would fit the bill, but the truth may be, that there is no answer.

During the Panthers’ five-game losing streak, they have shot 35 percent or worse in three of those games.

Eastern had every chance to win in Thursday night’s game, but could never find the offensive consistency to make a run at the Gamecocks.

As poorly as the Panthers shot in the first half, they only trailed 30-25. The momentum they tried to build in the second half fizzled as they scored only six points in the first 11 minutes, 43 seconds.

“You can see when our team missed shots, our shoulders dropped and our heads went down,” Sallee said. “You just can’t play that way.”

With the team rebounding somewhat shored up, the Panthers shooting has hit bottom at the most pivotal point of the season.

Sims said the Panthers haven’t hit the proverbial wall. She feels the Panthers aren’t valuing each possession like they should.

“I don’t think we’ve hit a wall,” she said. “I think our turnovers are plaguing us.”

While Sallee and Sparks think the Panthers should return to the gym for some extra shooting practice, neither would deny that there aren’t mind games being played and that their confidence hasn’t fallen since the losing streak began.

“I think some of the seniors and juniors are experiencing a little flashback from the past,” Sparks said of the team’s struggles before Sallee arrived.

“Any time you lose three, four, five games in a row,” Sallee said, “it takes a toll on your confidence.”

The one positive the Panthers could take away from Thursday’s loss was the fact that their defense kept them in the game diverting an easy blow out.

With the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament beginning next Tuesday, the Panthers will keep searching for answers.

“We got one more game to go before the conference tournament,” Sallee said. “It would be nice to drop a few shots and feel good about wherever we go (on Tuesday).”

With the Panthers’ struggles, nobody, not even the team, knows where they’re going.