After rough start, Panthers settle in with new coach

~ Eastern Illinois has won two of three games heading into tonight's contest.

Whatever problems Eastern Illinois might have had adjusting to a new coach and battling a brutal early schedule, the Panthers seem to have righted the ship.

After losing its first seven games to start the Mike Miller era in Charleston, Ill., EIU (2-8, 1-3 Ohio Valley Conference) has won two of its last three heading into tonight's 7:35 matchup with visiting Southeast Missouri State (5-7, 2-4).

"Every year is different anyway, whether you have a new coach or a new system," Miller said. "I think the combination of schedule, and new adjustments, things like that, I think that's where we were at.

"We're playing better, but we have to still play better more consistently. The thing we talked about, we have to be a tougher team before we can be a good team."

The Panthers, who began the season with lopsided defeats at Xavier and St. Louis University, lost their share of close early games, including a three-point overtime home setback against defending OVC champion Tennessee Tech.

But Miller believes the Panthers have recently displayed more of the toughness he has been seeking.

First came their lone conference win so far, by one point at Morehead State. Then came a competitive 12-point loss at Missouri, followed by Friday's five-point victory at Missouri-Kansas City.

"We've played in some close games. ... We have to come through and make the plays more consistently. Against UMKC we did that," Miller said.

Southeast coach Gary Garner has seen enough of EIU on film to believe the Panthers -- who featured some of the OVC's best young talent last season but did not fare well enough to keep coach Rick Samuels from being fired after 25 years on the job -- have turned the corner after their slow start.

"You look at the schedule they played, and most teams would have probably started out slow," Garner said. "They're playing a lot better now, and they're a lot better than their record.

"They had some really good young players last year, and one of the best players in the league in Josh Gomes. They're a good team, and I look for them to really come on."

Gomes, a 6-foot-3 senior guard and a first team all-OVC preseason selection, got off to a slow start this year but is averaging a team-leading 14.1 points per game. He is second in the OVC in 3-point shooting at 50 percent (22 of 44).

Also averaging in double figures for the Panthers are 5-11 freshman guard Mike Robinson (11 ppg) and 6-8 sophomore forward George Tandy (10 ppg).

Tandy, last season's conference freshman of the year, is second in the OVC in rebounding at 8.6 per game, and he also ranks second in blocked shots with 16.

The Panthers' season has mirrored Southeast's in that both teams have struggled offensively overall but have shot well from long range.

EIU ranks last in the OVC in scoring (58.9 ppg) and field-goal percentage (39.4), but the Panthers are second in 3-point percentage (39.1).

Southeast is eighth among 11 OVC teams in scoring (65.4 ppg) and 10th in field-goal percentage (40.3), but the Redhawks are third in 3-point percentage (37.7).

"I still think we're going to get our offense going," Garner said. "I just can't believe we're a team that's only going to shoot 40 percent all year."

Said junior forward Andrais Thornton, the OVC's fourth-leading rebounder with eight per game: "I think our offense is coming. It's a slow process, but it's getting there."

The Redhawks are coming off Monday's 68-62 win over Eastern Kentucky at the Show Me Center, making them 2-1 in OVC home games this season.

But the Redhawks are 0-3 in OVC road contests, and they will play seven of their first 11 conference games away from home, with six of their final nine at the Show Me Center.

"If we can just keep our head above water during this tough early stretch, we've got a good schedule for the second half of the conference season," Garner said. "There is still so much of the season left."

Sophomore point guard Paul Paradoski, second in the OVC in assists with 4.4 per game, believes the Redhawks -- who play at Murray State Saturday night -- are ready to start gaining some coveted road wins.

"When we won seven in a row last year, we were winning at home and on the road," Paradoski said. "This is a big trip. We're playing better, and I think we can win these games."