The men’s basketball team is only five games into its 2009-10 season, but the Panthers will begin conference play Thursday when they travel to Tennessee State and on Saturday they will play Austin Peay on the road.

Eastern head coach Mike Miller said conference play comes so early for the Panthers, because the Ohio Valley Conference is involved in the ESPNU BracketBuster and the conference tournament is a week earlier than most conferences.

This takes two weeks off the season and forces the OVC to play two early conference games early in the season.

“Usually you play your non-conference schedule to get ready for conference, so it can be tough,” Miller said. “Sometimes you are early in the season and have to play two conference games on the road. That is why you have to be disciplined.”

Senior forward Edin Suljic said for the players it is no different.

“No matter who we are playing we have to take it one game at a time,” Suljic said. “It doesn’t matter who you are playing, you have to prepare the same way.”

Miller said the game at Chicago State was important because the Cougars were a test early in the season for the Panthers (3-2).

Ready for full court press

The Panthers practiced Tuesday for full-court press because both Tennessee State and Austin Peay run a variation of a full court-trapping defense.

Miller said they worked on it a little bit a few weeks ago, but got back to it earlier this week because he wanted to work on other things.

The Panthers had a little bit of trouble against the full court press against Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis, but made adjustments in the second half.

Suljic said Tennessee State will play a three-quarter-court press and that the Tigers have some good athletes who will put on a lot of pressure.

Weekly honors

Junior guard Tyler Laser was an honorable mention for OVC Player of the Week after scoring at least 17 points in his last three games. Laser scored a team-high 21 points in Eastern’s 95-62 loss to Belmont Saturday. He scored 17 points in an 82-68 win against Chicago State Tuesday and 23 points in a win 93-64 win Nov. 21 against Eureka. This is the second straight week he was nominated.

Around the league

Before tonight’s games, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State have the two best non-conference records so far this season with 5-1 records.

Colonels; junior guard Justin Stommes was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week after leading EKU to wins against Fairleigh Dickinson, UC Irvine and Texas-San Antonio. The Colonels’ lone loss this season is to Pittsburgh.

Murray State has won five straight games after losing the season opener to California 75-70 on Nov. 9. The Racers beat Tennessee Wesleyan 108-49 Saturday to win their fifth game of the season.

Eastern is the only other team over .500 with a 3-2 record.

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