Redhawks shoot for 20-win season

Southeast Missouri State's women likely won't be able to gain a share of their first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title -- but the Redhawks can still reach a major milestone this week.

Victories in their final two games -- both at home at 5 p.m., against Murray State today and Tennessee-Martin Saturday -- will give the Redhawks (18-7, 12-2) their first 20-win season on the Division I level.

Since moving up from Division II in 1991-92, two previous Southeast women's basketball teams have posted 19 victories, including current coach B.J. Smith's first squad in 2002-03 that went 19-11. The 1998-99 group, under former longtime coach Ed Arnzen, was 19-9.

"Obviously 20 is a magic number every year. Every team wants to get to 20 wins," Smith said. "It would be a big step, and we would like to finish second rather than third."

The Redhawks are in second place among 11 OVC teams, trailing Eastern Kentucky (13-1) by one game. Like Southeast, the Colonels are heavily favored to win their final two contests, today at Morehead State and Saturday at home against Austin Peay.

"I wouldn't expect them to lose to either of those teams, but you never know," Smith said. "But in case they do lose, we'd love to be right there to get a piece of the championship."

Even if Southeast can't gain a tie for the title, by placing second the Redhawks would match their highest OVC finish since joining the league in 1991-92. Smith's first Southeast squad also wound up second, although with only an 11-5 record.

"All those things are important to us, and we'd rather be playing well going into the conference tournament," Smith said. "You want to get on a roll going into the tournament."

Southeast has locked up a home game Tuesday in the first round of the eight-team OVC tournament, a reward that goes to the top four finishers.

The Redhawks, who had a 10-game winning streak snapped last Thursday at Eastern Kentucky, bounced back Saturday to beat host Morehead State. Overall, Southeast has won 14 of its last 16 games. The Redhawks are 11-1 at the Show Me Center this season, and 31-4 at home under Smith.

Smith doesn't expect either Murray State (9-16, 5-9) or Tennessee-Martin (8-17, 7-7) to be easy victims.

The Racers gave Southeast a tough time on Feb. 5 in Murray, Ky., before a game-ending 14-0 run propelled the Redhawks to a 60-40 victory. Murray State is in eighth place in the OVC but has not yet officially secured a tournament berth.

Southeast routed the Skyhawks 79-56 on Feb. 3 in Martin, Tenn., but UTM -- in fifth place in the OVC -- is still jockeying for position in the standings.

"Both teams will come in here ready to play, and we'll also be ready to play," Smith said. "These are two big games for us."