INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI basketball team shot just 38 percent from the floor and committed 22 turnovers as the Jaguars dropped a 70-59 home contest to visiting Eastern Illinois inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Saturday (Dec. 17). Freshman Vincent Brady II scored a team-high 16 points in the loss and Chris Osten finished with 15 on 7-of-8 shooting. 

Yaakema Rose paced Eastern Illinois (3-9) with 27 points and seven boards and Caleb Donaldson finished with 14 points. 

"I thought we fought hard but I was disappointed with our execution," head coach Matt Crenshaw said. "We missed a ton of open looks and were just far too careless with the basketball. We knew there would be growing pains with this many new guys and this many freshmen and the injuries we've had so far. 

"We've got to turn around and be ready to go on the road in two days, so we can't sit around and feel sorry for ourselves after this one." 

EIU turned IUPUI's 22 turnovers into 31 points at the other end while IUPUI scored 15 points off 15 Panther miscues. 

The game was back-and-forth for the majority of the first half with the Jaguars ultimately earning a 28-26 halftime advantage by outscoring the Panthers by a 12-2 margin over the final five minutes. Boston Stanton III provided back-to-back jumpers during the run and Jlynn Counter capped the run with a pair of free throws. 

IUPUI (2-9) pushed its lead to four in the opening minutes of the second half when John Egbuta splashed a pair of free throws, but the Jags offense went nearly five minutes without a field goal before Counter dropped in a floater. 

EIU rattled off a 7-0 run midway through the half to build a 44-34 lead and never really let the Jaguars back in contention. After shooting just 36 percent in the opening half, the Panthers shot 62 percent after halftime to finish at 47 percent for the game. 

Counter finished in double-digits with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists and Stanton had seven points and three boards off the bench. 

IUPUI will return to action on Monday (Dec. 19) when the Jaguars face Southern Indiana in the first of two games in Fort Wayne. The Jaguars will then take on Texas A&M Commerce on Tuesday (Dec. 20). Both contests will tip-off at 4:00 p.m. and both will be broadcast on ESPN+.