NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There will be no cutting down of the nets this season.

Murray State used its athleticism to push itself to become Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champions.

Eastern lost to Murray State 69-58 in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game on March 8 at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

The Racers receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

All Eastern could do at the awards presentation was sit and watch. Some players couldn’t even look as Murray State received their medals.

Eastern junior forward Rachel Galligan had her face buried in a towel. She only put on a smile when she went to receive her All-OVC Tournament award.

And at the press conference after the ceremony, Galligan said the Panthers would use the pain of losing the title game as motivation for next season.

And Eastern now will know how Murray State felt for an entire season. The Racers lost in last season’s OVC Tournament championship game. The Racers battled back to where they wanted to be, and their drive sent them to the NCAA Tournament.

Eastern will now follow a similar path and endure the long months of practicing, dwelling on the thoughts of a possible NCAA berth that slipped away.

But all the players, coaches, fans, parents and media members alike move on. It’s going to hurt, and it won’t be better tomorrow. It won’t be better the day after. It probably won’t be better until the Panthers cut down the nets as champions.

It’s unfortunate the Panthers had an off-shooting night. It happens to teams. It’s unfortunate it happened in a title game.

But they have all the motivation to get back to Nashville. And they have the offensive and defensive weapons to it.

Eastern returns all five starters. Galligan can be the Player of the Year in the OVC. Eastern red-shirt sophomore guard Dominique Sims was named to the 2008 OVC Newcomer Team. Eastern sophomore guard Jessica Huffman, the 2007 OVC Freshman of the Year, is a serious threat off the bench.

But what’s more exciting is Eastern’s depth. Sophomore forward Maggie Kloak emerged this year with the potential to be an all-conference player.

Even Samford head coach Mike Morris said Kloak and Galligan are two of the top post players in the league.

Red-shirt sophomore guard Megan Edwards creates a special dynamic for the Panthers. She doesn’t turn the ball over often, creates steals and is accurate from beyond the arc in high-pressure situations.

But there’s also Ellen Canale.

Canale has transformed as the program has. The program has become well-rounded on both the defensive and the offensive end of the floor.

Canale is the team’s spark. She has always been a top defensive guard, but this year she improved her 3-point shooting.

Canale said she had a vision for the program. And she said it was to be part of the tournament championship.

Canale and the rest of next year’s seniors have one more shot.

This year’s junior class has been to two OVC tournaments. The first time, they sneaked in as the No. 8 seed and lost in the quarterfinals.

This year, they finished in a tie for second place in the OVC, hosted and won their first OVC Tournament game and made it to the program’s first OVC Tournament championship game.

But in the end, they fell short.

But there’s a feeling there won’t be a shortfall next season.

After all, Murray State came back and won the OVC Tournament after losing in the title game a season before.

Why can’t Eastern?

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