Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

Eastern Illinois women's basketball honored the four members of its Senior Class on Saturday afternoon. 
 
The Panthers lost at home to Southern Indiana, 72-63, to close out home action at Groniger Arena.  EIU has two regular season road games next week at Lindenwood and SIUE.
 
USI jumped out to a 9-0 lead with the Panthers able to crack the scoreboard on free throws by senior Tiny Lewis with 7:26 to play.  Lewis scored 17 points as one of two honored senior players that dressed in the game.
 
The other senior that dressed was Ella Lune who finished with four points.   Kennedy Davis and Lyric Johnson rounded out the senior class but neither dressed due to injury.
 
After trailing 28-13 after the opening quarter, EIU outscored USI 19-11 in the second quarter of play bringing what had been a 15 point Screaming Eagles lead down to six points with just under five left in the first half on a Sydney-James Desroches 3-pointer.   Desroches tied Lewis for team-high honors with 17 points.
 
Southern Indiana opened the margin again in the third quarter before the Panthers outscored USI in the fourth quarter shooting 63.6 percent.  
 
EIU falls to 4-25 on the season, 3-15 in the OVC as the Panthers were officially eliminated from the OVC Tournament picture.
 
Ali Saunders scored 26 points to lead USI as they improved to 19-8 overall, 13-5 in the OVC.