Defending conference co-champions to meet

~ The Redhawks will unveil their OVC championship banners after tonight's game against Tennessee Tech.

Southeast Missouri State's women have suffered just two Ohio Valley Conference losses this season.

The Redhawks (12-5, 7-2) will have the opportunity to avenge one of those defeats today when Tennessee Tech (5-13, 4-5) visits the Show Me Center for a 5 p.m. tipoff.

On Dec. 9 in Cookeville, Tenn., the Eaglettes slipped past the Redhawks 59-58. Southeast's only other conference loss was last Saturday's 75-60 setback at Austin Peay.

"It's going to be our payback game," Southeast junior forward Missy Whitney said. "We've got to come out aggressive."

The Redhawks and Eaglettes were the OVC's top teams last year, splitting their two regular-season meetings and tying for the title.

Southeast had the last word, routing the Eaglettes 71-50 in the OVC tournament championship game and advancing to the NCAA Division I tournament for the first time.

Both squads were expected to face something of transitional seasons this year, Southeast because it graduated four starters and Tech because it graduated OVC player of the year Emily Christian.

But, while the Redhawks have rebounded nicely -- they have won nine of their past 10 games and are in a second-place OVC tie, just one-half game out of first place -- the Eaglettes have found the going much tougher.

Tech, which had a two-game winning streak snapped Thursday at Eastern Illinois, is tied for sixth in the 11-team OVC.

Still, the Eaglettes showed their potential by beating Southeast earlier. Plus, the squads have developed into major rivals over the past several seasons.

"They're one of our conference arch-rivals," Southeast acting head coach John Ishee said. "And they've been playing pretty well lately."

The Eaglettes suffered a tough 63-61 setback at Eastern Illinois on Thursday. They led 56-49 with less than 6 minutes left, but were outscored 14-5 the rest of the way and lost on a basket with under 20 seconds remaining.

"They lost a tough game and I know they'll come in here hungry," Ishee said.

Senior guard Kendall Cavin leads Tech offensively with an average of 12.9 points per game.

Also averaging in double figures for the Eaglettes are junior forward Cara Reed and sophomore guard Meagan Lyons at 10.1 points apiece.

In the earlier meeting between the squads, Cavin's layup with 23 seconds left accounted for the game-winning basket. Southeast got bogged down offensively in the closing seconds and had to rush a late 3-point shot that missed the rim.

The Redhawks were hampered in that contest as sophomore point guard Tarina Nixon had her playing time limited by a sprained ankle suffered two nights earlier at Tennessee State.

Nixon played just 17 minutes and scored only two points against the Eaglettes. She averages 9.9 points per game.

"Any time one of our starting five is not at full strength, it hurts," Ishee said. "That's the type of team we are."

Like Tech, Southeast features three double-figure scorers in Whitney (13.2 ppg), junior guard Ashley Lovelady (12 ppg) and sophomore guard Sonya Daugherty (11.1 ppg).

Daugherty, coming off a career-high 26 point-performance during Thursday's 64-46 home win over Tennessee State, is actually the Redhawks' top scorer in OVC play with a 15-point average. That is tied for fifth-best in the league.

"Sonya is really coming on," Ishee said.

Southeast is perfect in four OVC home dates and the Redhawks will look to keep that going tonight.

"If you're going to compete for a conference championship, you have to take care of home court," Ishee said.

Following tonight's game, at approximately 6:45 p.m., last year's Southeast team that won the program's first OVC regular-season and tournament titles will be honored as the championship banners will be unveiled in a special ceremony.