The Eastern men’s basketball team has failed to qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament for the first time since they joined the conference in 1996.

Eastern has not finished lower than seventh in OVC play until this year.

As dismal as their conference play has been this season, the Panthers hit a low point when they lost to Division II Florida Gulf Coast at home. Some people believed after that loss, head coach Rick Samuels was in the hot seat. The impression people got was the Panthers had to win if Samuels wanted to keep his job.

Former player and graduate assistant, J.R. Reynolds believes Samuels is above and beyond all of that.

“He’s too professional,” Reynolds said. “Being around the program for as long as I have, I can’t see coach Samuels saying that.”

Even though this year’s team has only won six of their 25 games, Samuels has said on more than one occasion his team hasn’t given up. Reynolds agrees.

“Not once have I questioned this team’s motivation,” Reynolds said.

The Panthers are 6-19 overall this year and have a 4-10 record in OVC play.

Eastern lost 10 games in the 1998-99 season but took the seventh spot in the OVC tournament. With this year’s unbalanced conference schedule, the Panthers had less conference games and now find themselves out of the OVC tournament with no chance to rebound.

Since joining the OVC in ’96, Samuels has compiled a 72-62 record, including this season.

This year his Panthers have earned Samuels only his third OVC losing record in the eight years Eastern has been in the conference.

The Panthers close their season with road games at Tennessee Martin and Murray State.

When Tennessee Martin came to Charleston on Feb. 7, Josh Gomes had an all-star performance, dropping 40 points. Gomes and the Panthers will look to repeat their performances when they go to Tennessee Martin tomorrow.

Murray State beat up on the Panthers when they came to Lantz Arena on Feb. 5, but the Panthers look to finish their season with a win at Murray. Eastern has never had success in Murray, Ky., ending its season there in first round OVC Tournament exits. This season, the destination is the same only the reason will be different.