The good part for Eastern men’s basketball is Ohio Valley Conference play starts Thursday.

The bad part is important areas, like turnovers and defending the 3-pointer, haven’t been corrected.

Eastern (1-6) lost both games this weekend at the Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa. The Panthers blew a late lead in Friday night’s 55-49 loss to Rice and couldn’t contain Iowa guard Justin Johnson in the 57-45 loss to the Hawkeyes on Saturday in the consolation game.

The Panthers turned the ball over 33 times in the two games and allowed teams to make 17 of 42 3-point attempts.

“It’s frustrating because we all know we’re better than how we’re playing,” said senior forward Jake Byrne. “No one’s out there trying to do things wrong. We’re all individually right now, not playing as a team.”

The Panthers are in the midst of a six-game losing streak entering Thursday’s league opener against Tennessee Tech. In each of head coach Mike Miller’s three seasons, Eastern has endured a losing streak of six games or more.

“We’re just kind of down, but we also know conference games are coming up soon, so we just got to get ready,” said sophomore guard Romain Martin.

Iowa 57, Eastern 45

Senior forward Bobby Catchings had just made two free throws to start the second half to keep Iowa’s lead close at 24-21. The first half had been a defensive struggle, but Eastern had closed the first half on a 7-0 run to trail 24-19 at halftime.

But after Catchings made his two free throws, that was the closest Eastern would get the rest of the game.

The 6-foot-6, 190-pound Johnson made his fourth 3-pointer on Iowa’s ensuing possession to increase Iowa’s lead to 27-21.

Johnson finished with 25 points and made 7-of-10 3-point attempts.

The Panthers mixed in a match-up zone defense in the second half, but Johnson took advantage of it.

By the time Johnson made his sixth 3-pointer of the game, the Hawkeyes (5-4) led 40-24, and any chance of Eastern winning its first game against the Big Ten school in five appearances was nonexistent.

Byrne said the Panthers were surprised they played Iowa, which lost 72-67 in overtime Friday to Louisiana-Monroe.

“I went there and thought we were not going to play Iowa, unless it was in the championship,” he said.

Martin led the Panthers with 18 points and finished as the lone Eastern player to score in double figures. Forward Jarryd Cole added 10 for the Hawkeyes, who made 10-of-22 3-point attempts (46 percent).

Rice 55, Eastern 49

The Panthers leading scorer didn’t make a single field goal. Eastern turned the ball over 18 times for the fourth time this season.

Eastern had a late lead and a chance to win its first game against a Division I opponent this year.

But Rice, from Conference USA, closed the game on an 8-0 run to give the Owls their first win of the year.

Martin, who struggled throughout the game and finished with three points after missing all nine of his field goal attempts, made two free throws to give the Panthers a 49-47 lead with 2 minutes, 55 seconds to play.

“I just think the shots weren’t falling,” Martin said. “I was getting open looks. Guards weren’t really pressuring me. Shots were just not falling.”

A three-point play by Rice’s Patrick Britton gave Rice a 50-49 lead with 1 minute, 25 seconds left to play.

Britton made a layup, was fouled by Catchings and made the free throw to give Rice the lead the rest of the way.

Sophomore center Ousmane Cisse then committed a turnover with 55 seconds left before Eastern could attempt a shot.

Rice’s Jasen Williams hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left to give the Owls a 53-49 lead and wipe out any chances of an Eastern win.

Mike Robinson was the lone Eastern player to finish in double figures as the junior guard finished with 12 points. Williams scored 20 to lead the Owls (1-5).

“Definitely beating ourselves is the main thing right now,” Byrne said. “Things we can take care of. People are going to make shots, but at the same time, are we getting hands in their faces? We’re just not playing good basketball right now.”