Austin Peay or Murray State?

This is the question the Eastern women’s basketball team is asking itself right now as it practices in Lantz Arena, unaware of who its next opponent will be.

Austin Peay is the higher seed in the match up, so maybe they will win.

But it’s March. Anything can happen. Maybe Murray State will pull the upset.

Either way, we know one thing: We have a 50-50 chance of colliding with Austin Peay again.

It seems every year the Panthers cannot play in an Ohio Valley Conference tournament without playing Austin Peay.

When some people will look at the potential Austin Peay-Eastern second round match up, they will probably think one thing: Eastern has already beaten Austin Peay twice this season.

True, but look at the history of these two teams in the past two seasons.

In the 2008-2009 season, the Panthers lost to Austin Peay in the championship game of the tournament. Austin Peay prevailed in double overtime, by four points.

During the season, the Panthers beat Austin Peay both times they faced them, including nine days before the championship game.

Last season, Eastern met Austin Peay in the title game again. The Panthers lost again.

The Panthers split the season series with them; however, they beat Austin Peay nine days before they lost in the title game.

Sounds familiar.

This year, the Panthers have beaten Austin Peay twice; however, this time they will not be meeting in the title game. If at all, they will meet in the second round.

Still, Eastern cannot get away from Austin Peay no matter what.

Now whether or not the team wants to play Austin Peay is up for discussion, but I honestly do not think head coach Brady Sallee cares. He will take on any team.

Plus, this is a confident Panther squad. They have won nine games in a row to end the season.

This was not the case in the past two seasons. In 2008-2009, the Panthers had only won two straight going into the tournament.

Last year, they had only won three straight; however, they very easily could have won 17 in a row. In their last 17 games last year they were 16-1 – holding a 13-game winning streak at one point.

So does it matter that they are on a hot streak? It can only help.

Though the team is not going to focus on how hot they are right now. It is going to be focused on getting ready to play high intensity games.

Sallee said every possession, every play, counts in a tournament game. So the team will need to be ready for that.

The Panthers have the privilege of sitting back on the first day in Nashville and watching to see how things turn out.

One of the two teams they will be watching closely will be Austin Peay; however, they have dashed Eastern’s hopes too many times.

Sallee wont let them sneak up on his team again.

Eastern will be ready.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7944 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.