COURT SESSION: DEFENSE IS THE KEY FOR SE's SUCCESS SO FAR

We had a classic confrontation on Tuesday night at the Show Me Center with the OVC's top offense going against the league's top defense and our defense clearly won the battle.

Tennessee Tech came in averaging over 87 points per game and we held it to just 50 points. The Golden Eagles led the nation in 3-pointers made per game with over 10, but our defense allowed Tech to shoot just three of 19 (.158) from there.

In college basketball today, there is so much parity in talent that you find the championship teams are the teams that play good defense.

Our group of young men take great pride in playing defense. In the Tennessee Tech game we didn't play that well offensively, but our defense was the best it's been this season and we got the victory that kept us on top in the OVC.

It takes all five players working together to be good defensively and our players have all accepted their roles. Brian Bunche and Roderick Johnson lead the way with great hustle and great position. They each take about one charge per game, meaning they are in perfect position to play help defense.

An interesting statistic is that we lead the OVC in blocked shots without a great shot blocker. Again, it just shows that our men are in the right place and in position to make blocks.

Our win last Saturday night at Murray State was very big for our program. The win ended Murray State's home win streak at 47 and the game was televised throughout the southern part of the nation by Fox Sports Net South. It was also our first win at Murray since 1945. We haven't been in Division I that long and a win like this with all the other variables looms big for our program.

Our players went into the game with great confidence. They knew they were going to win!

You can't believe all the calls I've had from across the nation congratulating us on the victory. Of course everyone also wants to know about my two technicals that led to my ejection with 12:45 remaining in the game.

Officials never know how coaches are going to react in certain situations and coaches never know how officials are going to react. Perhaps another official wouldn't have made the first call, but we'll never know. We have to adjust to the situation.

Once I was ejected, our team really came together and put together a great run that brought us back from a 12-point deficit. I'm extremely proud of my players and of Tom Schuberth and the other assistants, Anthony Beane and Keno Davis, who guided the team down the stretch. I think the assistants all leaned on each other and all made significant contributions. Keno Davis prepared the Murray State game plan and he did an outstanding job.

I went back to our dressing room and Murray State athletic director E.W. Dennison brought me a radio so I could listen to the game. I thought that was a class act. I'll tell you, though, that final 12:45 was very difficult for me. My stomach was tied in knots.

My wife, Barbara, never listens to all of a game when she is at home and we are on the road and I always tease her about not being able to listen. After being in that dressing room with only a radio, I know what tension she has felt all these years.

When the game was over and we had gotten the big win, I walked out in the hallway outside our dressing room and our players all came running down the hall and jumped on me. I thought they were going to drive me through the wall. It was a great victory!

Don't forget we have Eastern Illinois at the Show Me Center on Saturday night in another key OVC game. When you're on top, every team gives you its best shot.

Gary Garner is the head men's basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State University.