Home-court advantage has always been a critical part of college basketball.

Duke has the “Cameron Crazies,” Illinois has the “Orange Krush,” Michigan State has the “Izzone.” All student sections that have become well-known for making their home arenas insufferable for opposing teams.

While the arenas in the Ohio Valley Conference are not quite on par with that of Duke, Illinois, or Michigan State, home-court advantage has become just as critical.

Currently, the top four teams in the OVC for women’s basketball, Murray State, Eastern Illinois, Tennessee State and Morehead State, are a combined 35-0 in their home arenas.

Conversely, all four of those teams have losing records away from their home.

Additionally, the Panthers currently sit with the sixth longest active home-winning streak in the nation with 15 consecutive wins in Lantz Arena, a school record.

Morehead State and Murray State are tied with a handful of teams in eighth with 13 consecutive wins at home.

The longest in the nation is No. 1 Connecticut, currently riding a 33-game home-winning streak.

So it is obvious that home-court advantage is critical, and whichever of those teams does not slip up is likely the team that will come out as conference champions.

Which is why the Panthers’ upcoming four-game home stand is so critical.

They take on three conference foes during the home stand (the fourth being a non-conference battle with Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 4).

Included in the stretch is Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State, two of the three teams the Panthers beat on the road this year, but the third is the most intriguing.

The Panthers will take on Southeast Missouri on Feb. 7. The Redhawks handed Eastern one of its two OVC losses this season by coming from behind on Jan. 10 in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

If the Panthers win the three OVC games during this stretch, only last-place UT Martin and first-place Murray State loom on their home schedule for the rest of the season.

Of course, the Murray State battle, being on Senior Night against the team ahead of the Panthers in the schedule, could be huge.

If both teams win out up to that point, the game would essentially be played for the conference championship, with only two games remaining after that.

Of course, taking care of business at home has almost been a given for the Panthers this year.

The real struggle will be pulling off road wins, as they are only 3-7 away from Lantz Arena this year.

So while the home schedule looms large, the key will be pulling off a few road wins as well, and hoping that Murray State, Tennessee State and Morehead State all falter at some point down the line.

But if recent history is any indicator, a sweep at home is likely.

Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.