As the season comes into its final stretch, Eastern’s men’s basketball team will look to Kyle Hill to lead them into the postseason.

The senior, who has been one of the main cogs in Eastern `s offense for the last three years, is once again the go to guy for the Panthers.

“He is the type of guy that can really put this team on his shoulders,” Eastern’s head coach Rick Samuels said.

Hill’s numbers have improved every year since he got to Charleston, and this, his senior season has been the crown jewel of his career.

We have seen a tremendous jump in Kyle’s performance every year he has been here,” Samuels said. “But it has not only been his play on the court, but his maturity on and off the court has improved as well.”

The stats that the preseason all-Ohio Valley Conference guard are good enough where he might win the OVC Player of the Year award, not to mention be put back on the All-OVC team.

Hill is the second leading scorer in the OVC with two games left in the regular season, averaging 22.2 points per game, which is just a point behind teammate Henry Domercant for the scoring title in the conference.

But scoring isn’t the only way he has helped Eastern to their 16-9 overall record and a 9-5 record in league.

Hill also has good numbers in other aspects of his game that has made him one of the most complete players in the OVC. He is averaging 5.2 rebounds and four assists per game this season.

“Kyle(Hill) is the type of player that can not only help us by scoring points for us,” Samuels said. “But he can also get us the big rebound and make the pass to set up his teammates.”

The guard was especially vital to the Panthers cause Saturday when he scored 22 of 30 points in the second half of Eastern’s game against OVC rival Southeast Missouri State.

“Kyle’s offense really kept us in the game Saturday night, and really put us in position to win the game,” Samuels said “I just wish that he wouldn’t have waited until the second half to turn it on.”

One problem that Hill might face in the season’s last few games before the conference tournament is the fatigue factor, seeing that he is averaging 38 minutes a game this season.

“You know we have some space to get Kyle a rest here and there during the game,” Samuels said. “But I still see the fire in his eyes, and he is a kid that never wants to come out.

“He is a kid that can run all day, and I think that he has realized that he might not have too many more games here and has really been able to elevate his game. And while it may not be as obvious to the spectator he has become such a leader in the locker room, the weight room and in practice for our team to really look to.”