Triple Threat

While Eastern men’s basketball hasn’t had a winning season since 2000-2001, including the three-year career of forward Bobby Catchings (above), they have never been rated the worst team in the country. That is, until now.

As of Tuesday the Panthers were ranked last (336th) according to the Ratings Percentage Index. Here are three teams we feel Eastern is clearly better than right now.

Wisconsin-Green Bay (No. 327) – Duh, Eastern beat Phoenix 63-61 on Nov. 21 in Lantz Arena for its only Division I victory this season. A game-winning layup by freshman guard Romain Martin means logically the Panthers should be ahead of this Horizon League team.

Prairie View A&M (No. 300) -Eastern may be struggling to put the ball in the basket, but its frustration isn’t even close to the level of these Panthers from Texas. Prairie View has been held to less than 50 points in four of its first five games against Division I opponents (all losses).

Texas State (No. 303) – Mike Miller can safely say his current program in Charleston is better than his former one in the Lonestar state. Miller led them to the NCAA Tournament in 1997 but the Bobcats have yet to play anybody in the top 100 and have given up more than 80 points three times already this season. Add that onto the fact they have already lost a game against the 281st team in the RPI, Centenary.