After a hot 6-2 start to the season, Eastern’s men’s basketball team has fallen off its pace; the Panthers now stand at 8-6 after going through their hardest stretch of the season.

Eastern suffered a four-game losing streak against some tough competition in Western Illinois, Maine, Northwestern and Murray State.

Games against Western are always tough because of the in-state rivalry.

If anyone saw the game against Maine in Lantz Arena earlier this year, they know that it is a solid team. The Panthers pulled out an overtime victory in the first game, but they fell just short losing 60-64 on the road.

Northwestern is a good team from the Big 10, meaning the talent levels on Eastern and Northwestern are vastly different. The Panthers played solid, but in the end there was 15 points separating the Ohio Valley Conference school from a marquee Big 10 school.

Normally, Murray State is one of the better teams in the OVC, but this year they boast an extremely talented team. The Racers came into Lantz Arena and trampled the Panthers 40-73. The Panthers appeared overmatched the entire game. Murray has a great chance to enter the OVC and NCAA tournament with an unblemished record.

Escaping that stretch, at 6-6, put the Panthers in a decent position as they begin their OVC schedule.

The Panthers beat Houston Baptist and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville by double digits.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville is new to the OVC, but Eastern did collect that important conference win.

I think the Panthers should have a good amount of success in the OVC this season. One more loss can be pretty much guaranteed as they face Murray State on the road, but the other games can be easily won.

Austin Peay was the favorite entering this season, but they have completely underachieved. The Governors are 0-3 in conference play and 3-13 overall.

Every team in the OVC is on the same level as Eastern (besides Murray State of course) and the Panthers should be able to make the conference tournament fairly easily, and then will pray for a miracle that Murray State is knocked out before the Panthers have to play them again.

Rob Mortell can be reached at 581-7944 or at rdmortell@eiu.edu.