SE's OVC TITLE SHOT RESTS WITH NEXT TWO GAMES

It's one down, two more to go during Southeast Missouri State University's crucial three-game homestand that will determine just how much next week's contest at Murray State means.

The Indians were able to take care of business Tuesday night -- although not without a struggle -- as they knocked off Tennessee State 61-54.

Tonight, Middle Tennessee State will provide the opposition in a 7:30 tipoff at the Show Me Center.

Southeast improved to 14-6 overall and 11-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play Tuesday as the Indians won for the eighth time in their lastnine games.

The Indians have virtually wrapped up second place in the OVC because everybody else in the conference has at least six losses. In fact, a victory tonight would definitely clinch at least second for the Indians, who would then lead everybody behind them by at least six games with only five to play.

Never before has Southeast finished higher than fourth in the OVC since joining the league and moving up to the NCAA Division I level in the 1991-92 season.

In addition, the Indians' 11 league wins marks their highest-ever OVC victory total, surpassing the 10 compiled last year during Garner's first season as Southeast's coach.

But the Indians are not just satisfied with second place. They have their sights set on the OVC championship -- meaning they have to catch powerhouse Murray State, which is 13-0 and leads Southeast by 1 1/2 games.

Murray State handed the Indians their only OVC loss of the season by hitting a last-second shot to prevail by a point at the Show Me Center. The teams meet in a rematch in Murray, Ky., next Thursday night.

But, barring a huge Murray upset loss before then, the only way the Indians can make the rematch a first-place showdown is by winning the final two games on this homestand -- beginning tonight with MTSU.

"I think our players know that if we want to have a chance to win the league, we can't lose a game this week," said Southeast coach Gary Garner. "Every game is so important to us if we want to have a chance to reach our goal and that's the conference championship."

MTSU, like all the OVC teams except Murray State and Southeast, has had an up-and-down season. But at 6-6, the Raiders are in third place in the 10-team league and in the running to gain one of the first-round postseason tournament home games that goes to the league's top four finishers.

The Raiders, 8-15 overall, are among six teams that still have a legitimate chance of finishing as high as third in the OVC. Those six squads are separated by a total of only one game in what is an extremely scrambled middle of the league pack.

"After you get past the top two teams, the conference is so wide open, anything can happen," Garner said. "That makes it exciting because so many things can still happen.

"We're shooting for first place so all our games are so important. And most of the other teams are still shooting for that (first-round tournament) home game, so they've still got so much to play for. Middle Tennessee is one of those teams and we'll get their best shot."

Only one MTSU player is averaging in double figures as 6-foot-6 junior forward Cedrick Wallace scores 12.6 points per game.

But five more Raiders are getting between 7.5 and 9.4 points a contest as coach Randy Wiel utilizes quite a few players.

Richard Duncan, a 6-foot senior point guard, and 6-6 senior guard Ali McGhee are both scoring more than nine points a game. Duncan leads the OVC in steals with 65 and his 109 assists put him among the league leaders.

Lee Nosse, a 6-10 sophomore center, has come on in recent weeks and he's turned into one of the league's better defensive centers. Averaging nearly nine points per game, Nosse is second behind Southeast star Bud Eley in the OVC in blocked shots with 38.

The Raiders are a dangerous 3-point shooting team, ranking third in the OVC at 37 percent. McGhee has hit 44 of 107 3-pointers for 41 percent while three other Raiders are shooting at least 35 percent from long range.

"They've got the ingredients of a good basketball team," said Garner. "They've got some really good athletes in Wallace and (Ali) McGhee, Duncan is solid at the point and Nosse gives them a big presence inside.

"They rely a lot on the 3-pointer and they have several players who shoot them well. If they get hot, they can really be dangerous. We'll have to do a good job of defending them out there."

For Southeast, senior center Bud Eley continued his recent brilliant play by scoring 19 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and blocking five shots against Tennessee State.

Eley is now averaging a `double-double' for the season with 14.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He has also blocked 59 shots to lead the OVC in that category as well as rebounding and field-goal percentage (62.2).

Also scoring in double figures for Southeast are Cory Johnson (11.5 ppg), Roderick Johnson (11.4 ppg) and Mike Branson (10.7 ppg).

NOTES: Tonight's game will mark the return to the Show Me Center of former Southeast player Allen Hatchett.

A former Sikeston High all-stater, Hatchett started for the Indians for much of two seasons before transferring to MTSU. The junior guard has played in only 13 games for the Raiders, averaging 2.2 points in limited action.

Middle Tennessee at SEMO

7:30 p.m., Show Me Center

Probable Starters

SEMO (14-6, 11-1 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Mike Branson F Jr. 6-6 10.7

Roderick Johnson F Jr. 6-7 11.4

Bud Eley C Sr. 6-10 14.9

Cory Johnson G Sr. 6-0 11.5

Kahn Cotton G Sr. 5-10 8.1

Middle Tennessee (8-15, 6-6 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Cedrick Wallace F Jr. 6-6 12.6

Dale Thomas F So. 6-6 7.5

Lee Nosse C So. 6-10 8.8

Ali McGhee G Sr. 6-6 9.2

Richard Duncan G Sr. 6-0 9.4

Series: Tied 8-8

Last Meeting: SEMO won 73-63 on Jan. 7

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