Ironically enough, Eastern may be more fearful than any other Ohio Valley Conference team they’ve played this season.

When Tennessee State rolls into Lantz Arena Saturday afternoon, it will still be looking for its first victory of the 2003-2004 season. The Panthers (3-11, 0-3) are concerned about being the team remembered for giving up a game to a perennial loser.

“When a team comes in winless, it’s pretty simple.” Wunder said. “You just don’t want to be that team that loses to them.”

The Tigers (0-12, 0-3) have struggled through one of their worst start to a season in school history by losing their first 12 games none of which were close contests. Tennessee State’s closest margin of loss has been 12 points and the Tigers have scored more than 50 points in a game three times. The Tigers scored a total of 18 points in a game at New Mexico Dec. 5.

“They are going to win because they are a very athletic team and the losing has to stop one night,” Wunder said.

Eastern has been concentrating on rebounding as an aspect the team needs to drastically improve before they face a Tigers team that is very strong on the boards.

“We have already talked about being outrebounded on the offensive glass 17-2 against SEMO so they are aware,” Wunder said.

“(Tennessee State) does rebound the ball well and have good dribble penetration.”

Eastern has been riding the offensive performance of junior center Pam O’Connor and sophomore guard Megan Sparks.

The pair combined for 44 of the Panthers 66 points in its 13-point defeat to Southeast Missouri Tuesday night at Lantz Arena.

Sparks is still expected to come off the bench and provide instant energy and offense but would like to get off the bench sooner.

“It’s not a place I really want to be,” Sparks said in the post-game press conference.

The Panthers are still focused on getting a victory at home and Wunder isn’t allowing her sqaud to look past a winless opponent.

“At 3-11, we really can’t take anybody lightly for the rest of the year simply because we aren’t playing solid right now either,” Wunder said.

Wunder wasn’t at practice Wednesday because she used the day for a reccruiting trip but feels her team still has the confidence needed to string together a winning stretch.

“I think that anytime you go through a losing streak, the confidence starts to shake but I’ve always though confidence is a self thing,” Wunder said. “You have to look at yourself and say I’m a good player every day and go from there.”

In the last two seasons, Eastern has failed to be defeated by Tennessee State and will look to increase the winning streak to five in the series Saturday.

The Panthers have put extra importance on this final home game to get momentum before they embark on a four-game road trip.

“We have an opportunity here to get the ball rolling and it starts Saturday,” Wunder said.