The Eastern men’s basketball team was 7-22 two years ago. That season had the most losses in Division-I history for the program and arguably was the worst season in program history.

It appears the tides may be changing and success is near, but more work is still needed before the team gets over the hump and can be called a truly successful team.

At 11-9 (5-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference), the Panthers are on pace to have their best record since 2000-01, and at least their best record since 2002-03.

While that is all fine and dandy, these small successes should not be accepted, but instead used as building blocks to get the program back to respectability.

It is almost there, but not yet.

The Panthers have reached the point where they are good enough to beat the teams they should beat.

Teams like Tennessee Martin (0-9 in the OVC), Tennessee State (1-8) and Southeast Missouri (3-24 over the past season and a half) should be disposed of, and have been to this point.

But the Panthers should strive for more.

The goal should be to be on the same level as Murray State, Morehead State and even Austin Peay, teams that regularly compete for OVC titles and make appearances in nationally televised games.

Fans who were around nine years ago when the Panthers made their last NCAA Tournament appearance speak about it with such joy.

Men’s basketball and football are kings in this area, just as they are throughout the nation, and while our football program has found success over the past decade-plus, men’s basketball has not been able to keep up.

A successful men’s basketball program would drive school spirit to an all-time high.

Fans and students love rooting for a winner, and a winner has yet to be produced during the current senior class’s four years.

Whether current head coach Mike Miller is the man to lead the program back to the promise land is debatable.

But thus far he hasn’t been able to get it done.

That being said, his improvement over the past two years are a sign that things could be looking up in the near future.

But regardless of what is done to revitalize this struggling program, something should be done. Strides have been made. Accomplishments, albeit small, have been found.

But it is still not enough. We want more.

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