Redhawk mania

Well, mania hasn't quite happened yet, but a new name and a winning streak have injected new enthusiasm into the Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball team and its fans.

The team is 6-0 since changing its name from the Indians to the Redhawks. The women's team also is 6-0 dating from the name change, but the women were having a good season anyway -- 16-6 overall and 10-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference so far. The women's team is exciting, with the conference's leading scorer in Tatiana Conceicao, who scored 26 points in her team's most recent game.

The men's team, now 12-10 overall and 7-4 in the OVC, had been struggling to find ways to win in the closing minutes. Now the team is winning the close games, even on the road. Now it has moved up to third place in the OVC and is in position to make moves on the front-runners.

The men's team has had some down seasons recently. As one player joked recently, if Southeast had known changing its nickname could have this effect, it probably would have been done years ago.

Tonight, both Redhawks teams take on Tennessee State at the Show Me Center, where basketball is fun again. If fans want to join the excitement and fun, they should show up. Besides having a good time, they would give a good boost to the players.