Preview: Eastern Illinois Panthers at Southeast Missouri State Redhawks CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Interstat) — Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball play opens Thursday as the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks host the Eastern Illinois Panthers at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks (6-7) enter with a slight edge in overall record over the Panthers (4-8). Both teams concluded non-conference play with decisive victories in their most recent outings. Southeast Missouri State defeated Tennessee State 91-82 on the road Dec. 20, while Eastern Illinois routed East-West University 110-56 at home on Dec. 22. A key matchup will feature two of the league’s recent top performers. Eastern Illinois guard Andre Washington is coming off a career-high 24 points in just 19 minutes in the Panthers’ blowout win. He has averaged 13.3 points over his last four games. For the Redhawks, guard Marqueas Bell is a focal point, fresh from a 22-point effort at Tennessee State. Bell has shown scoring versatility, posting 19 points in a win over St. Xavier on Dec. 14. The Panthers have struggled on the road this season, with all eight losses coming away from home, including defeats at Iowa State, Purdue and Kentucky. Their last road contest was a 78-53 loss at Iowa State on Dec. 14. Southeast Missouri State has been stronger at home, boasting a 4-1 record in Cape Girardeau, with the lone loss to Lipscomb on Nov. 29. Eastern Illinois will look to build momentum from its two-game winning streak, which includes an overtime victory over SIU Edwardsville. Southeast Missouri State has won three of its last four, with the only loss in that stretch coming at Tennessee Tech. This game marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the schools. They will meet again in Charleston, Illinois, on Jan. 31. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST Thursday.