Rebounding, turnovers and guarding the ball.

Pick one of those three areas and that’s what Eastern men’s basketball head coach Mike Miller said needed to improve heading into Tuesday night’s game at Wisconsin Green Bay.

It’s safe to say all three facets can still use some polish.

Eastern lost 63-47 against Green Bay on a night where the Phoenix had second and third chances on the offensive end for most of the game.

“One stretch we gave up three straight putbacks,” Miller said. “That’s a problem. How we defend and our effort and energy and how we rebound, those are things that you’re good at every night. That’s what we count on and we didn’t have that tonight.”

The Panthers post players also had trouble handling passes, leading to several of Eastern’s 13 turnovers.

And the Green Bay guards were able to drive past Eastern defenders and create more scoring opportunities for the Phoenix.

The Panthers, who came in as the worst rated team among the 341 Division I basketball teams by realtimerpi.com, will most likely remain there after their fourth straight loss. Eastern (1-4) has yet to win a game this year against a Division I team. The Panthers beat NAIA foe Harris-Stowe in their season opener for their lone win.

“We’ve got quite a ways to go to play a higher level of basketball than what we’re playing,” Miller said.

Junior guard Mike Robinson made a 3-pointer on Eastern’s opening possession to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.

It was Eastern’s lone lead of the game.

The Phoenix (4-2) then went on a 7-0 run during the next four minutes to take control of the first half. The Panthers cut Green Bay’s lead to 21-15 following a 17-foot jump shot by senior forward Jake Byrne with 6 minutes, 38 seconds left.

But the Phoenix went on a 14-4 run to end the half and head into the locker room with a 35-19 lead.

The slow start prompted Miller to go with a guard-oriented lineup to start the second half. Reserve guard Bam Willhite and backup forward Bobby Joliff replaced Byrne and sophomore center Ousmane Cisse. The pair joined starters Robinson, sophomore guard Romain Martin and senior forward Bobby Catchings on the floor.

“We felt like we had to shake it up a little bit,” Miller said. “I think it was a lot like the other things we were doing, a little bit inconsistent. Just not anything we can really lock in on and say we’re really doing this well.”

The Panthers pulled to within 44-33 following Cisse’s hook shoot with 12:39 left in the game. But anytime Eastern threatened to make the game competitive, junior Mike Schachtner made a shot to keep the Panthers at bay.

Schachtner, a first-team All-Horizon league pick in the preseason, led all scorers with 17 points.

During a two-minute stretch late in the first half, the 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward showed his versatility.

He scored after gathering in an offensive rebound near the basket to make it 27-15. After Martin responded with a 3-pointer, Schachtner added a 3-pointer of his own to increase the Phoenix’s lead to double digits.

Following Cisse’s basket in the second half, Schachtner made an 18-foot jump shot to increase Green Bay’s lead to 46-33. The Panthers would never get closer with Green Bay leading 59-39 at one point, its largest lead of the game.

“Our backs are up against the wall, even though it’s early and even though we haven’t got in to our league play,” Miller said. “We’ve played with some inconsistency. (But) it’s basketball season. We need to step up and find ways to get it done.”

Notes: Senior Gino Myers-Kyles (knee), sophomore forward Justin Brock (foot sprain) and freshman center Matt Dorlack (leg) did not play because of lingering injuries. Add Mike Robinson to the injury list. Miller said the guard, who left with 5:35 left in the game and did not return, dislocated his finger. Green Bay held a 10-0 advantage in second chance points in the first half. Romain Martin (13 points), has now scored in double figures in 27 of 34 games during his young Eastern career . Next up: Eastern plays Rice on Friday night at the Hawkeye Classic in Iowa City. Tip-off is slated for 5:45 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.