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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Eastern Illinois women's basketball again stands one win from its goal of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, the same opponent stands in the way of reaching that goal. The Panthers will take on Austin Peay Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title game for the second year in a row.

The two teams were semifinal winners Friday at Bridgestone Arena (formerly the Sommet Center), setting up the first title game rematch since APSU (14-17) and Tennessee Tech played for the title in three straight seasons from 2000-02. WEIU-TV is slated to carry Saturday's game live via a feed from Wazoo Sports.

The Panthers (23-9) are making their third consecutive appearance in the tourney championship game. Eastern has been unable to win that final game the last two years. Last season, EIU was favored to beat the fifth-seeded Lady Govs but was upset in double overtime.

The Panthers are the first team since Southeast Missouri State (from 2005-07) to reach the tourney title game in three consecutive seasons. Austin Peay will be making its eighth appearance in the championship game. The Lady Govs have won the tournament six times, all since 1996.

For the second day in a row, EIU will face one of the two teams it lost to on its way to winning the regular-season OVC title. The Panthers surged past a scrappy UT Martin team Friday, 65-51, with the EIU starters accounting for 63 points.

Eastern lost at Austin Peay on Dec. 5, 65-55. The rematch 12 weeks later in Charleston saw the Panthers race out to an early 15-0 lead on their way to a blowout win. Saturday's contest is slated to be the rubber game of the season series.

The Lady Govs knocked off second-seeded Morehead State Friday, 78-71, after Morehead had won both regular-season meetings. Austin Peay grabbed 53 rebounds but only registered 17 second-chance points on their 15 offensive boards.

Eastern could have some success if it can clear rebounds on APSU missed shots and push the ball in transition. Morehead enjoyed a 15-0 edge in fast break points Friday. Last week in Charleston, EIU outscored the Lady Govs 20-2 on fast break opportunities. Much of the game-opening, 15-0 run came in transition for the Panthers.

Eastern and Austin Peay were the lone teams in the league this season with multiple players named to the First and Second All-OVC teams. Ta'Kenya Nixon (First Team), Maggie Kloak (Second Team) and Dominique Sims (Second Team) represented the Panthers. Ashley Herring (First Team) and Nicole Jamen (Second Team) represented the Lady Govs. Those five players all scored in double figures and played key roles in their teams' semifinal victories Friday.

Jasmine Rayner (20 points) and Jamen (13) helped APSU score 36 points in the paint Friday against a Morehead team that struggled with post defense for much of the season.