The Super Bowl is only three days away, but the Chicago Bears are not the only team with an important game this weekend.

Eastern’s women’s basketball has two important games starting tonight against Jacksonville State and continuing on Saturday against Samford.

The similarities between the two teams do not stop at their schedules this weekend. Many Panthers have similar abilities, styles of play or attitudes as members of the Bears.

The most obvious similarity is between freshman point guard Jessica Huffman and quarterback Rex Grossman.

The pair both led their respective teams and have, at times, been inconsistent.

Grossman has put up ridiculous numbers in some games but been terrible in others.

Huffman has not had any lows quite like Grossman, but she has had the highs.

Huffman scored 38 points Dec. 20 against Morehead State and averages 18 points per game. But her turnover problems, like Grossman’s interceptions and fumbles, have been a drawback.

Another easy comparison to make is between linebacker Brian Urlacher and sophomore forward Rachel Galligan.

Galligan is the heart and soul of the team and head coach Brady Sallee looks to her to consistently perform well everyday. Bears head coach Lovie Smith looks for the same consistency from Urlacher.

Senior guard Meggie Eck, with her long-range shooting and accuracy, is the Robbie Gould of the women’s basketball team. While Gould is making his shots from a longer range, both have a specialty they have perfected.

Sophomore guard Ellen Canale and outside linebacker Lance Briggs have a good deal in common. Briggs, at 6-foot-1, is slightly undersized for his position but plays with great intensity and determination. Canale is the same way; she is a tenacious defender and often is shorter than the opponent she has to guard.

While certainly the facial hair is a glaring difference, freshman point guard Lauren Sturtevant is reminiscent of Kyle Orton. Thankfully Sturtevant has left the Grizzly Adams impersonating to Orton.

Both have had some time in the spotlight but are currently working from the bench. Sturtevant is a ball-control point guard and leads the team in assist-to-turnover ratio. Orton was reigned in by Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner and made safe throws to receivers last season while filling in for the injured Grossman.

Senior Amanda Maxedon had a career game Jan. 20 against Morehead State but for the most part she is a bench player that gets overlooked but always contributes.

Hunter Hillenmeyer has a similar role as one of the Bears. The outside linebacker is always in the large shadows cast by Urlacher and Briggs but Hillenmeyer is an underrated performer on the best team in the NFC.

I could go on and on with the comparisons. Senior forward Megan Scaggs as wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad; their veteran leadership is important for both teams. Megan Edwards is like veteran safety Mike Brown, who, like Edwards, has been watching from the sidelines because of an injury but is still a valuable presence on the team.

But the most important comparison of all is postseason success. The Bears stand on the verge of being Super Bowl champions, the ultimate prize in the NFL. The Panthers sit in ninth place in the Ohio Valley Conference but some inspired play down the stretch could vault Eastern into the top eight and give it a spot in the OVC tournament. With their young talent, much like the Bears at Soldier Field in January, no opposing team wants to see them in the postseason.