Eagles take first stab at clinching postseason berth

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 18, 2020) – As Tallahassee Community College's men's basketball team prepares for Wednesday's home finale against Pensacola State College, its postseason possibilities read more like a script from Let's Make a Deal. 

Behind door number one is the outright Panhandle Conference Championship, something the Eagles haven't won since 2001, and a berth in next month's NJCAA District/FCSAA State Tournament. Behind door number two, a shared conference championship, which the Eagles last claimed in 2006, and the PC's No. 2 seed into the postseason. Door number three brings with it a three-way tie for first place, the title of tri-champions and subsequent playoff for the conference's two berths into March Madness. A two-tie tie for second and a winner-take-all playoff game awaits behind the fourth door. There's even a fifth door, which the Eagles want to avoid at all costs – missing the postseason altogether. What's more, each scenario has a different impact on potential at-large berths to the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

Needless to say, little has been settled in the Panhandle Conference's race to the postseason as three teams enter the final four days of the regular season battling for two coveted berths to Niceville, Fla., site of the state tournament, March 4-7. 

Tallahassee, at 8-2 in league play, leads Gulf Coast State College (7-3) by one game and has a two-game lead over Pensacola State (6-4) entering Wednesday evening. Unlike the Commodores and Pirates, one thing the Eagles do know is their season will extend past Saturday's season finale – they will be preparing for either the state tournament or some form of a playoff on either Monday and/or Tuesday. 

Tallahassee and Pensacola State are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip on Wednesday. Approximately 60 minutes later, Gulf Coast State and Chipola College are scheduled to begin in Marianna, Fla. Here's what's at stake: 

• If Tallahassee wins, it will clinch a share of the PC Championship and a postseason berth, then,
• If Chipola beats Gulf Coast State, the Eagles will clinch the outright PC Championship, but,
• If Gulf Coast State beats Chipola, Gulf Coast State also clinches a postseason berth and Saturday's Tallahassee-Gulf Coast State finale will determine the conference's No. 1 seed
• If Tallahassee loses to Pensacola State, there is no scenario in which the Eagles can clinch a postseason berth on Wednesday

Wednesday's Tallahassee-Pensacola State doubleheader begins with women's action at 5:30 p.m.

In between games, the Eagles will celebrate Sophomore Night sponsored by First Florida Credit Union.