For the past three weeks, many students and faculty retreated to their humble abodes for winter break.
During this time of relaxation, or maybe exasperation, the sporting events of Eastern tend to slip students’ minds, aside from the most die-hard fans.
Many may not have noticed that both the men’s and women’s basketball teams stayed back and played five games each over break.
Both teams finished out their non-conference schedules during the beginning of the break, playing two games each. The women’s team fell short to both Northern Illinois University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in double-digit losses, ending their non-conference schedule with a 3-10 record.
The men’s team beat Blackburn College and lost to Iowa State University by 32 to finish their non-conference schedule with a 6-7 record.
Panther basketball had a strong start to conference play, as both men’s and women’s basketball started 2-1.
The women’s team beat Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 80-74 on Dec. 29, beat University of Tennessee-Martin 72-70 on Thursday and lost to University of Arkansas-Little Rock 49-53 on Saturday.
At UT Martin, junior forward Macy McGlone hit a putback with three seconds left on the clock to put the Panthers up 72-70, leading to UT Martin’s only Ohio Valley Conference loss.
During the game at Little Rock, McGlone recorded her 10th double-double after 15 games.
The men’s team lost to SIUE 58-67 on Dec. 29, beat UT Martin 79-72 on Thursday and beat Little Rock 90-88 in a game that came down to the wire on Saturday.
At Little Rock, senior guard Jordan ‘Tiger’ Booker led the Panthers in a comeback win, finishing with a career high of 31 points. Eastern was down by double-digit points twice in the Little Rock game yet mounted a second-half comeback to get the win in a conference game.
The winter break games put the men at 8-8 on the season and 2-1 in conference play, placing fourth in the OVC throughout three games. The women are now 5-11 on the season and 2-1 in conference play, placing them sixth in the OVC.
Both teams will be playing Morehead State at Groniger Arena on Thursday. The women will play at 5 p.m. followed by the men at 7:30.
Aidan Cusack can be reached at 581-2812 or at densportsdesk@gmail.com.
