SEMO FANS CHEER TO END

Southeast Missouri State University basketball fan James Ricks couldn't hide his pride after watching the Indians narrowly lose Thursday to Louisiana State University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament West Regional

Ricks, a marketing professor, and his wife, Natalie, watched the game with about 250 Southeast fans on three big-screen televisions in the Show Me Center meeting rooms.

"It is even better than a moral victory," said Ricks. "We could have beaten them," he said minutes after the Indians lost to the highly ranked LSU Tigers, 64-61.

Natalie Ricks agreed. "I am very proud of them," she said.

Most in the crowd wore the red and black colors of the school. Many sported Southeast shirts.

A number of fans signed a large red banner that read "Congratulations Champions!"

They cheered when Southeast scored the first basket in the game and they kept on cheering for the Indians, who trailed 24-19 at halftime.

Glen Hinkebein of Cape Girardeau brought his 6-year-old son, Luke, to the Show Me Center celebration. They sat on a front row with a clear view of the game on a big-screen television.

Hinkebein said they are used to sitting in a front row to watch basketball games at the Show Me Center. He said it only made sense to watch the television screen from a front row too.

Southeast employee Tom Morris didn't think twice about rooting for the Indians even though he's a 1972 graduate of LSU.

Still, Morris, a construction manager for Southeast, figured this was one game he couldn't lose, whichever team won.

But he said it would be great if Southeast pulled out a victory. "If SEMO wins, it's a big win," Morris said at halftime.

Like a number of Southeast boosters, Neal Edwards wanted to celebrate with many of his booster friends.

Despite being on spring break, a number of students showed up, including the Southeast Sundancers, who perform at every Indian basketball home game.

Fans chanted "DDDDD" when the Indians were on defense. Many in the crowd stood up to cheer with the Sundancers late in the game.

"I don't even want to see this ending. My heart can't stand it," said a nervous Chuck Stotz of Kelso as the game wound down. Stotz carried on a running dialogue with the television screen during much of the game.

Dressed in Southeast Indian red, die-hard fan Jim Salzman of Cape Girardeau was one of the last to leave the Show Me Center after watching the team's narrow loss.

Salzman didn't bemoan the loss. Said Salzman, "I am just so proud of them I can hardly stand it."