The Panther men’s basketball team continues on its four-game road trip tonight at 7:30 when it travels to face the Southeast Missouri Indians in Ohio Valley Conference action.

Eastern Head Coach Rick Samuels said his team needs to begin to position itself early in the OVC season by winning away from Lantz Arena. The Panthers (5-8, 0-2 OVC) haven’t escaped with a victory in their seven away chances.

“We need to win road games to be in the hunt,” Samuels said. “We need some toughness to step up for us right now.”

Standing in the way of the Panthers’ first conference win is SEMO’s front court, which features two of the top five scorers in the OVC.

The Indians (5-8, 0-2) are led by senior forwards Dainmon Gonner and Reggie Golson. Gonner’s 18.8 scoring average is second best in the OVC, and Golson’s 16.1 points per game are fifth.

Golson is also the second-best rebounder in the conference and the OVC’s top shot-blocker.

Samuels said both players could cause match-up problems for some teams because they prefer to face the basket, opposed to catching the ball with their backs to the basket in the low-post.

“Their two forwards are their leading scorers, but they’re not your typical pound-it-inside, post-you-up kind of forwards,” he said. “I think that it might be easier for us to guard than a guy who is 6’9” or 6’10” who wants to bang and beat us up inside.”

Making matters more difficult for the Panthers is the return of the OVC’s active scoring leader to the SEMO starting lineup. Senior guard Derek Winans received his first start of the season Saturday and scored 12 points in a 63-61 loss at Tennessee Tech.

Freshman guard Bobby Catchings said the Panthers have internal issues to tackle as well.

“Turnovers are a big thing for us right now,” he said. “I think we’re a pretty good team, but we just make some mistakes.

“It kind of always has a snowball effect.”

Through 13 games, the Panthers are committing and average of 6.6 turnovers per game more than their opponents.

Catchings, along with freshman center George Tandy, will continue to see their roles expanded, provided they perform, Samuels said.

The four-game road trip to start the OVC season concludes Saturday, when Eastern travels to Tennessee State.

Catchings said it’s crucial for his team to begin to gather momentum as the conference season goes on.

“We haven’t won on the road yet, so it’s really important we get a win,” he said. “A win (tonight) and win Saturday – that’s how we can kick something off.”