Redhawks seek fifth straight win at Murray State

Bolstered by their first Ohio Valley Conference road victory of the season, Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks figure they'll enter tonight's game at Murray State with plenty of confidence.

The Redhawks (10-10, 5-4), riding a four-game winning streak, will square off against the Racers (12-7, 7-2) in a 7:15 p.m. tipoff at the Regional Special Events Center in Murray, Ky.

"We're getting our chemistry going. I'm not saying we didn't have it earlier, but now we're really playing together," said senior forward Dainmon Gonner, the OVC's leading scorer who had 27 points during Thursday's 75-68 win at Tennessee-Martin. "We can win at Murray."

Added sophomore guard Terrick Willoughby, who had 17 points against the Skyhawks and is averaging just over 19 points in his last three games, "This gives us confidence that we can win on the road. Now we're going to Murray knowing we can do it."

But knocking off Tennessee-Martin and beating perennial OVC powerhouse Murray are two totally different animals.

The Racers, the defending OVC tournament champions, have won or shared 12 of the past 17 OVC regular-season titles and captured 10 of the last 17 league tournament crowns.

"They've been the best program in the OVC over the years, no question about it," Southeast coach Gary Garner said.

Despite fielding a team consisting almost entirely of newcomers -- Murray has only one returning player from last season -- the Racers find themselves in a three-way tie for first place.

"We're getting there," said second-year coach Mick Cronin, who led the Racers to a 28-6 record in his debut season last year.

While fielding a new-look squad, the Racers are still plenty talented, which is why they were the preseason pick to win the OVC. Their leading scorer is Mississippi transfer Trey Pearson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard who averages 15.6 points per game.

"They're extremely talented, like they always are, with great athletes," said Garner, whose squad has lost eight straight games to the Racers and has not won at Murray since its NCAA tournament season of 1999-00.

Southeast, which has already surpassed its OVC victory total from all of last year, has compiled its longest winning streak since the 2000-01 season. To match that squad's five in a row, the Redhawks will have to pull off a significant upset tonight, but Garner is hopeful.

"I know we'll be ready," Garner said. "If we can shoot well, we'll have a chance."

Noteworthy

* Junior center Ketshner Guerrier, who played in the season's first six games before suffering a knee injury, has been medically cleared to play. He dressed out against Tennessee-Martin but did not get in the game. Garner said it's doubtful he'll play tonight, but he could begin to see action next week.

"Ketshner is still so rusty because of all the time he missed; that's the main thing," Garner said. "But he should be ready to play soon, which will really help our depth."