Eastern head coach Brady Sallee said his team still has the talent and time left to make a strong run into the Ohio Valley Conference tournament after Saturday’s 74-62 loss to Austin Peay.

In this exact moment, Sallee is correct.

But after this weekend, with road games at Tennessee-Martin tonight and Eastern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon, the third-year head coach might not be able to make the same statement, statistically speaking.

Before the season, Sallee instituted a run-and-gun offense that, while giving up many points, was designed to outscore opponents. Judging from their current five-game losing streak, that strategy has not worked and the Panthers are slumping badly.

Sallee’s squad has allowed opponents to score an average of 85 points per game while they have only been able to rack up an average of 68 points per game in that five-game span.

Panther defense has given up more points than expected, but the statistics show the offense has struggled mightily and is the cause for Eastern’s five-game losing streak.

Rebounding and turnover woes are behind the offensive ineptitude.

Eastern has handed the ball to the opposing team 333 times this season – 46 more than its opponents and almost 21 times per game.

Rebounding has also been a big issue.

Eastern has shot the bell well, 44.6 percent on the season, but they have been one and done on the offensive end.

Talented sophomore forward Rachel Galligan cannot do everything alone in post and the statistics reflect Sallee’s four-guard offense.

In losing five straight games, Eastern has been outscored 84-45 on second chance points.

The rebounding issues reflect the fast-paced style but the turnovers are limiting it.

Eastern is currently ninth in the 11-team OVC, but a successful, two-win road trip could push the Panthers to fourth.

EKU and Martin are hardly the top teams in the conference and beating them on the road would be the perfect confidence builder for the Panthers. It would also propel them into a long home stand with 7 of the next 9 games in Lantz Arena.

Sallee is right: the Panthers do have enough talent. Talent won’t be a problem for the team with promising young players like Galligan and freshman point guard Jessica Huffman set to anchor the team in the near future.

But time is not on his side this year.

The time to turn the season around and prove that Sallee’s offense is the best fit for his players is ticking away.