Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Sports

Eastern sophomore guard Tyler Laser looks for an open pass during the home game against Tennessee Martin on Feb. 18 in Lantz Arena. Laser will be one top returning Eastern men's basketball players for next season. (Alycia Rockey/The Daily Eastren News)

The Eastern men's basketball team ended its season with a 57-54 loss at Austin Peay Tuesday in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Its appearance in the tournament was the first since the 2004-05 season.

The Panthers (12-18) started the season strong especially in the OVC. Through 12 games in the conference, the Panthers were 8-4 with wins against Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee State.

Lantz Arena was particularly good for Panthers as they were 5-1 through their first six conference home games. They were 9-3 overall at Lantz, but struggled on the road with a 3-13 record.

After a win against Southeast Missouri at home on Feb. 7, the Panthers were 11-11.

The final eight games of the season were not good to Eastern.

Although Eastern won its first ever ESPNU BracketBuster game at Western Michigan, the Panthers lost seven of their last eight games.

Despite the fall late in the season, Eastern's conference record of 8-10 was still good enough for seventh place in the conference tournament.

In the first round, the Panthers led for a majority of the game, but second-seeded Austin Peay was too much, pulling the game out down the stretch.

Eastern improved on its overall record and conference record by posting the highest win total under Eastern head coach Mike Miller. Eastern's final record was the best since the 2004-05 season, and its conference record of 8-10 was also the best since that year.

Eastern will only be losing one player from this year's roster, senior forward Billy Parrish, with the remaining 12 players on the roster returning.

Eight players on the Panther roster this season were first year players including four transfers and four freshmen.

Of those returning, junior guard Romain Martin was named Second Team All-OVC, led the team with 15.4 points per game.

Also returning is sophomore guard Tyler Laser, who averaged 11.4 points per game, and is lethal from behind the arc, shooting 40.7 percent.

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