Load up the bus, we’re going to Murray, Ky.

An Eastern loss to Tennessee Tech and a Murray State win over Tennessee-Martin means the Panthers and I get to go back to our favorite place.

Oh, how we have missed that nice little town. After last year’s trip to perdition, I vowed never to return again. The Panthers 47-point defeat at the Regional Special Events Center still haunts me today, and not all of it has to do with the game.

Last year we had not even made it on the interstate yet and our voyage was already tainted. The unpleasant weather conditions sent our car into the I-57 on-ramp railing making it a fitting start to a wonderful night of Ohio Valley Conference basketball fun. It is kind of bad when you can make a game out of how many cars you see in the ditch on the way to Kentucky.

We arrived to a friendly parking lot attendant who happily ask: “You boys from Eastern?” Followed by, “I hope y’all lose tonight.” Well buddy, you got your wish. I can’t say I was surprised by his comments considering all the state of Kentucky has is college basketball and horse racing.

The basketball game I watched turned into a slam dunk contest. Murray State took advantage of fast-break after fast-break to give the crowd several poster shots.

Did the weather get any better on the way home? It sure didn’t. Spinning out at 65 mph kept me wide awake until we arrived back in Charleston. Old Main never looked so good.

Now that I look in the face of round two against the Racers, I might be dreading Tuesday more than the Panthers. Maybe not. Forty-seven points is a whole lot and I’m not going mention the fact Eastern has lost to Murray State in each of the last four contests. Oops, just did.

Lets hope both of us will be more prepared this time around.

I have started with four new tires on my car and a sand bag in the trunk. Eastern is going to need more than just one tire pumped up this time.

Henry Domercant cannot score 46 points every night so he will need someone else to contribute. Other players have proven themselves in the past, but not at this level of pressure. So lets hope they aren’t overly pumped up or they will get popped in the first two minutes and be towed into next season.

Eastern also needs to get the sandbag known as the Racer fans out of its trunk.

The fans in Murray, as we have already discussed, love their basketball. The environment is going to be overwhelming for some, but the senior-filled Eastern roster needs to pull the weight off the young kids’ backs and be the leaders head coach Rick Samuels has been looking for all season.

One thing is for sure. Neither myself nor the Panthers’ ideal situation right now is to return to Murray. We would all like to be sitting safely in Lantz and having our fans in our back seats.

None of this is possible, so the NCAA tournament run begins in Racer country. Maybe now we both understand what it takes to survive Murray and have them tasting the exhaust fumes this year.