EXCITEMENT OF SOIUTHEAST INDIAN BASKETBALL MOVES TO OVC SEMI-FINALS IN NASHVILLE TODAY

Get ready for excitement in Nashville tonight during the semi-finals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

Southeast Missouri State University's Indians will take on sixth-ranked Middle Tennessee. Arch-rival Murray State will battle Eastern Illinois. The winners of these two matches will meet for the finals Sunday afternoon. No doubt the Indians and fans would like to avenge the Murray State loss in the final home game.

Coach Gary Garner and his Indians have brought excitement back to the Show Me Center. Students and basketball enthusiasts have crowded into games to cheer on the Indians. A large contingent of local fans is expected to go to Nashville.

Southeast's success on the court certainly draws noteworthy attention to the university. That was the hope when the university elevated its athletic program to Division I.

The real winner in all of this is the university and the spotlight on its programs. Successful athletic programs can open a window to prospective students and others, benefiting the entire university campus and region.

We wish the Indians luck this weekend, and thank Garner and his team for allowing the university and Cape Girardeau to shine in the spotlight.