The Eastern men’s basketball team lost their fourth game in a row, falling to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 66-52 in a game in which the deficit grew to as much as 29.

With the loss, the Panthers fall to last place in the OVC with only two games remaining before seeding for the conference tournament is finalized.

Dan Luers led Eastern with 21 points, his most as a Panther. He also spent the majority of the game running the offense, as Kejuan Clements left the game and didn’t return after only playing seven minutes, recording only an assist during his time on the floor.

CJ Lane also provided offensive sparks, contributing 12 points off the bench on his way to playing 35 minutes, the most he’s played all season.

Luers and Lane went a combined 5-of-9 from behind the three-point line, keeping the Panthers afloat from beyond the arc, as their teammates shot 1-of-8. That was consistent for Eastern’s shooting from the field as well, as Luers and Lane went 11-of-26 as the rest of the team was 6-of-22.

Defensive rebounding remains an issue for the Panthers, as the Cougars grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, many of which provided them with their 12 second-chance points.

Now that their four-game road trip is finished, Eastern will play their last two regular-season games at home, hosting Morehead State and Austin Peay on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Ryan Meyer can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].