ELEY TO MISS AT LEAST FOUR WEEKS WITH BROKEN FOOT

It was certainly not a good 20 or so hours for Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team.

Thursday night, the Indians suffered by far their most lopsided loss of the season, an 81-62 setback at Southern Illinois.

And late Friday afternoon, Southeast learned that 6-foot-10 center Bud Eley -- the team's leading scorer and rebounder -- would miss the next several weeks of the season with a broken foot.

Eley, averaging 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, came up hobbling late in the first half of Thursday's game, but he continued to play and wound up scoring 24 points, 18 coming in the second half.

Southeast trainer Lance McNamara said Eley planted his foot, turned and felt pain but felt he could continue to play in the second half.

McNamara said after treatment Friday morning, Eley's pain became more severe and x-rays showed a broken second metatarsal in his right foot. The injury will sideline Eley a minimum of four weeks, meaning he will definitely miss at least five games beginning with tonight's contest at Missouri.

Said Southeast head coach Gary Garner, "It's a big blow to the team but each player will have to step things up a notch to try and make up the difference. I always say it's not what happens to you, it's how you react to it. We can still have a good team if we react in the right way."

Eley, who averaged more than 17 points and 10 rebounds per game during his first two seasons at Southeast and has drawn plenty of attention from NBA scouts, said although he is disappointed, he hopes to be ready to play again as soon as possible.

"It's very disappointing. I hope I can get back as soon as possible," he said. "They say four to six weeks, but I'd like to come back sooner as long as I'm healthy."

Eley's injury is certainly a major blow to a team that was already lacking any real depth up front. Garner said that either junior Demetrius Watson or senior Travis Smith would replace Eley in the starting lineup at Missouri tonight.

Despite his absence, Eley said he is confident his teammates can pick up the slack.

"I think they can do it," he said. "I think we can still be a good team."