The atmosphere inside Lantz Arena is going to be wicked tonight for two huge games for each the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Without MyCharlestonDentist.com, there would be nothing special about the Eastern fans. No extra umph to intimidate Morehead State with.

Instead, fans are being called on to show up to the game looking like brilliantly brushed teeth. We’re doing a “White Out” ladies and gents.

MyCharlestonDentist.com is sponsoring the “White Out”. In fact, they are giving away 300 free white T-shirts to the first 300 anxious fans.

So get there early because the teams need you to be there. The first game starts at 5 p.m., which is the women’s game pitting the top two teams in the Ohio Valley Conference against each other.

If the women’s game is anything like the first time the Panthers and Eagles got together, you will not want to miss it.

Then, there is the men’s game at 8 p.m. This is the game you get free shirts for. That is already enough reason to come to the game.

Adding to that, you can see the Panthers try to upset the No. 2 team in the OVC, and a possible NBA draft pick in Morehead’s junior forward Kenneth Faried.

All good reasons to come to the game wearing white. Or painted in white.

Plus, ESPNU is televising the men’s game and you have to look good for ESPN.

It is really cool that Eastern athletics is partnering with MyCharlestonDentist.com to put something special together for what should be a special weekend.

You always see the famous student sections on TV going crazy on ESPN, like Wake Forest with their tie-dyed shirts and the Cameron Crazies at Duke. Even about 40 minutes away from Lantz Arena, University of Illinois has a united student section – the Orange Crush.

We want to make a good impression on ESPN and make them want to come back because of our fans and the quality of basketball we play.

Our basketball teams are playing good basketball for the most part. So you can check that off the list.

If the fans come out and participate in the “White Out” there is the potential to accomplish something that leaves a lasting impression for many people.

We cannot appreciate MyCharlestonDentist.com enough for sponsoring Thursday’s festivities and giving us a chance to look good on the national stage.

I guess the final factor to looking your best is winning games. That is what the men and women are trying to do.

Still, our teams need our support and there is no better way to show it than looking like one united fan base, in all white.

Alex McNamee can be reached at

581-7944 or admcnamee@eiu.edu