The game between the Eastern men’s basketball team and Austin Peay will not be won from behind the arc or in the front court, but in the post, according to senior forward Billy Parrish and junior center Ousmane Cisse.

The Governors post one of the leagues most dominant big men, senior forward Drake Reed.

Reed is second in the conference averaging 21.8 points per game, and is second in the conference with 8.6 points per game.

“We must defend the post,” Parrish said. “If we are able to do that, we will be in good shape to win.”

Cisse agreed with Parrish and said it will be a complete team effort inside.

“It is important that everybody helps inside and has good help side defense,” Cisse said. “The guards have to be tight up top and make sure they chip down, but still defend the three point shot.”

The Governors compliment Reed with junior guard Wes Channels. Channels averages 16.9 points per game and lead the team with 68 3-pointers with a 39 percent average.

Eastern (12-15, 8-8 Ohio Valley Conference) lost to Austin Peay (15-12, 11-5) on Dec. 6 81-73 at Lantz Arena.

Eastern trailed by as many as 16 in the second half of the game, but battled back to within two with 2 minutes, 48 seconds remaining.

Reed scored 38 points in the game propelling the Governors to their second OVC win.

Parrish said the Panthers have looked at that game and made a few adjustments.

Cisse said the game was early in season and since that time, the Panthers are a better team.

Eastern comes into this game with a win in the ESPNU BrackBuster game against Western Michigan Saturday. The win came at a good time for the Panthers, who will finish the season with their final two regular season games this weekend.

“The win felt awesome it ended the losing streak,” Parrish said. “I think we have to carry that win over to this and build off of it. Last weekend we played the style that we want and need to play.”

Coming into the final weekend of OVC play, Tennessee Martin and Morehead State are tied for first place with a 12-4 league record. Martin will host Eastern Kentucky tomorrow, while Morehead will travel to Murray State to take on the Racers.

The Racers are tied with Peay for third place with an 11-5 record.

EKU is ahead of the Panthers in fifth place with a 10-6 record, while Tennessee State sits behind Eastern with a 7-9 record.

Only the top eight teams in the conference make it to the OVC Conference Tournament and Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech are battling for the final spot with identical 5-12 records.

Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.

Junior guard T.J. Marion takes a shot during the home game against Tennessee Martin in Lantz Arena on Feb. 18. (Alycia Rockey/The Daily Eastern News)

(more…)