If the Eastern’s men’s basketball team’s season could be compared to an actual game, the Panthers would be down by eight points with two minutes left in the game.

Not an impossible comeback, but certainly a very difficult one.

The Panthers find themselves at 5-9 and in ninth place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. They are one game behind three teams for the last three available spots in the tournament as five places have already been decided.

The three teams immediately ahead of the Panthers are Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State, who all stand at 6-8.

Eastern plays Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky on the road for its final two OVC games. The Panthers are 5-8 on the road this season; although, they are 3-3 on the road in conference games.

In order to make the tournament, a number of things have to happen.

Austin Peay and Jacksonville State hold the tiebreaker over the Panthers because both teams beat them in their only meetings this season. This means that if the Governors and Gamecocks win one more game (and both teams face the 0-14 University of Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks), the Panthers will be unable to pass either team, leaving just Eastern Kentucky in their way of grabbing the eighth and final spot.

Passing Eastern Kentucky is the most likely scenario for the Panthers; however, the Colonels’ schedule is weak. The only other team they play is Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, who is 5-9 in the OVC, but remains ineligible for the tournament this season due to NCAA rules.

Eastern needs Eastern Kentucky to lose to SIU-E, and then, most importantly, the Panthers need to beat the Colonels. If this happens the Panthers will be guaranteed to have the eighth spot in the tournament, a dance that eluded them last season. This is the Panthers’ most plausible path to the tournament; however, Austin Peay or Jacksonville State could lose both games; and if the Panthers win both of theirs, they would make it into the OVC tournament.

Most importantly, the Panthers have to win their next two games if they want a serious shot at making the tournament. Hope is not completely lost, but with a loss it will completely fade. Right now, winning is more important than ever, and Eastern fans just need to hope that the Panthers have a little Reggie Miller comeback gene in them.

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