The Eastern women’s basketball team’s schedule lists Saturday’s game against Tennessee-Martin as the last time the two teams will play this season.

That’s because it can’t predict which team will play which in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament beginning Feb. 29 and ending March 3.

Even though it’s not on the schedule, Eastern junior guard Ta’Kenya Nixon said she definitely expects to see the Skyhawks in March.

“We don’t expect this to be the last time we’ll see them, but right now we’re focusing on Saturday,” Nixon said.

Eastern and Tennessee-Martin are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Ohio Valley Conference, respectively. Eastern is undefeated in the conference, while Tennessee-Martin has one loss. The loss was against Eastern.

The Panthers and Skyhawks will meet again Saturday in Martin, Tenn., and Nixon said she expects the Skyhawks to be looking for a little revenge.

The Skyhawks lost by seven in the previous meeting, 70-63, and were held to 34 percent shooting from the field.

Although the Skyhawks had an off game, Nixon said the Panthers weren’t perfect either.

“We didn’t play our best going into that game either,” Nixon said. “Mariah didn’t show up too hot in that game.”

King didn’t have any points in the teams’ previous meeting. She averages 14 points per game this season.

Eastern head coach Brady Sallee said that since King had an off game, the Panthers didn’t win the game the way they’re used to winning the game.

“The thing you take out of that game is that we played well but we played with Mariah not scoring,” Sallee said. “We have to figure out a way for that not to happen again.”

Tennessee-Martin’s Jasmine Newsome had an off game too.

She was held to 12 points in the game, despite averaging 20 points per game.

Eastern junior guard Kelsey Wyss said she expects Newsome to come out in Saturday’s game and “try to get hers.”

The scary thing, Sallee said, is that she may not even have to try.

“It seems like that’s just what they do,” Sallee said.

Sallee said Saturday should be a big spectacle for the conference, featuring its top two teams.

“It’s unheard of to see that kind of a matchup in the league,” Sallee said. “You have to look at the best UT-Martin out there – and that’s scary good – and you have to look at the best EIU out there, and that’s what you have to expect Saturday.”

The match up is set to tip off at 4 p.m. Saturday in Martin, Tenn.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7942 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.