January 06, 2010 Alex Brown

abrown6182@yahoo.com

    Since you last heard from your faithful Tattler, the calendar has turned over a new year – and hopefully the Eagles’ luck on the hardwood will change with it.
    The Georgia Southern basketball season got off to a pretty solid start considering its strength of schedule, lack of home games, and having to play shorthanded due to injuries and suspensions. But since December rolled around the Eagles have fallen on hard times.
    Without a win since November 29, Georgia Southern has also played just one of its last eight games at home. So the Eagles limp into 2010 sporting a 3-12 record, but will finally play a game with everybody healthy and eligible this week. And probably just as important, Georgia Southern will play in front of a home crowd for six of its eight remaining games in January.
    Since fall semester ended and the population of Statesboro significantly decreased temporarily (by the way, welcome back students), the Eagles have played six games — and lost six games. But these opponents have a combined 58-27 record and included major programs NC State and Auburn.
    Even though the going has been tough lately, this season is far from lost. We have just hit the meat of the season and only two conference games have been played thus far. With six of the next eight at home, Georgia Southern is very capable of putting together a run to get back into contention in the Southern Conference. Hanner is a very tough place for opponents to win and our Eagles need large, rowdy crowds to help push them over the top.
    As for the Lady Eagles, things have been a little better. The ladies stumbled to a 1-4 start out of the gate, but caught fire in December going 6-1 during the month. Georgia Southern has faltered a bit, losing three of its last four, but will play three of its next four games at home. The Lady Eagles are currently 7-7 and stand in the middle of the pack in the Southern Conference.
    On Monday, the ladies lost a heartbreaker on the road to perennial power Chattanooga. Georgia Southern led most of the game, but UTC hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left and the Lady Eagles fell 57-55.
    Next up for the Lady Eagles is a meeting with first place College of Charleston on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hanner Fieldhouse. That contest will be the first game of a doubleheader as the men will battle Western Carolina at 3:30 p.m. But before the guys can think about Western, they host Chattanooga in a crucial conference match-up Wednesday night at 7 p.m. Due to print deadlines, we will recap that game next week.
    The next couple of weeks are huge for both the men’s and women’s teams. The guys desperately need a few wins to get back on track and move up in the conference standings. Top five in the conference is well within reach for the ladies — and the top five seeds in the SoCon tournament will be awarded the all-important first round bye.
    Both teams are very capable of beating anybody in the conference. Both will be dangerous come tournament time. But for now, the Eagle Nation needs to be there supporting them.
    I’ve said it before, but a full, loud Hanner is as good an environment as you will find anywhere. So let’s go blow the roof off that place and get some wins on our home floor.
    As a side note for you non-students – tickets to Saturday’s games are just one dollar, so come on out and bring everyone you know.
    Let’s welcome our Eagles home in style. We’ll see you at Hanner.

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