Another player is injured on the Eastern women’s basketball team.

This isn’t a surprise to the Panthers as this has happened multiple times this season.

Eastern junior guard Ellen Canale rolled her left ankle last Saturday night against Eastern Kentucky at Lantz Arena. Canale was driving to the basket when an EKU defender stepped in front of her with 1 minute, 41 seconds remaining in the first half. Canale left the game but did return to the bench to cheer on her teammates.

The Panthers (8-9, 7-2 Ohio Valley Conference) will play without Canale tonight. Eastern plays Tennessee Tech at 5:30 p.m. at the Eblen Center in Cookeville, Tenn.

Canale had started all 17 games this season, but has been in a black boot since the injury.

Canale is the not the first Panther injured this season.

Senior guard Brittney Coleman is out for the year with an ACL injury. Junior forward Rachel Galligan was on the sidelines for five games with a toe injury. Sophomore guard Jessica Huffman, the 2007 OVC Freshman of the Year, another preseason pick and the starting point guard (16.9 points per game), was out with a stress fracture.

Sophomore forward Maggie Kloak took Galligan’s place in the starting lineup and scored in double digits in all five games. Sophomore guard Dominique Sims stepped in for Huffman and picked up some scoring slack but also rebounded the ball well.

When asked during Tuesday’s OVC teleconference about his players being injured, head coach Brady Sallee shied away and concentrated on preparing his team for the next opponent.

“We understand how hard it is play to in Cookeville,” Sallee said. “All those banners in the arena . we do know that Tennessee Tech can win on any given night, as anybody can in this league.”

Canale’s injury could limit the way the Panthers set up their defensive schemes.

However, the Panthers found someone to replace her – sophomore guard Ashley Thomas. Thomas, who is recovering from a back injury she suffered during the summer, finished with 11 points and seven rebounds Saturday night.

Thomas now has to be the defensive guard of the team – something Canale brings to the floor.

Canale is also an offensive threat from beyond the arc. She leads the conference in 3-point field goal shooting at 53 percent (17-of-32).

What makes the Panthers unique this season has been their ability to respond to injuries with good play. Eastern’s depth has helped in that aspect.

One player who was injured last season that left them young in the backcourt was red-shirt sophomore guard Megan Edwards.

Edwards tore her ACL in a preseason game last season and missed the entire season. She has started and played in every game this season. Edwards is tied for fifth in the conference in free throw percentage (84 percent) and leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.30).

The Panthers’ depth makes them tough in close games. And they will use that depth against Tennessee Tech (3-14, 2-5).

Eastern defeated TTU on Dec. 6, but the Panthers played without Galligan.

Tech head coach Amy Brown said she didn’t know the severity of Galligan’s injury in December until the Golden Eagles arrived in Charleston.

“(My players) know who Rachel Galligan is,” Brown said. “We’ll prepare about the same as we did before – as if she would play.”

Kevin Murphy may be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.

Sophomore gaurd Megan Edwards dribbles around the perimiter looking to pass in a January matchup against Tennessee-Martin. (Eric Hiltner / The Daily Eastern News)

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