Eastern looks to maintain 'edge'

The Eastern Eagles may have the regular season Big Sky Championship, but don't think head coach Ray Giacoletti is going to allow his team to coast into the conference tournament. "It's business as usual, it's really important to see if we can stay focused and sharp. We're still trying to find our best basketball. Any other approach wouldn't lead to that," said Giacoletti.

"This has been the team with the most consistent focus and has had that edge," said Giacoletti, of this year's team compared to his three in the past. The last three teams in the past have also finished one game shy of an NCAA bid. "Those windows are only open so long, at very few points along the way. I'm happy they have a sense of accomplishment, now we need to seize the moment for the next step and hopefully continue to get better," said Giacoletti.

"Saturday's game is extremely important because its senior night. We need to find a way to send four seniors out on a good note," said Giacoletti. The four seniors that will be honored before tipoff will be Gregg Smith, Josh Barnard, Brendon Merritt and Alvin Snow. The game will be at Reese Court at 7:05 p.m.