Foust, Whitney earn OVC newcomer honors

Southeast Missouri State basketball players Brandon Foust and Missy Whitney have been recognized as the Ohio Valley Conference newcomers of the week.

Foust, a junior forward, earned the award on the men's side after he averaged a double-double in two games last week.

Foust averaged 19 points and 10.5 rebounds per game against Murray State and Austin Peay. He shot 53.5 percent from the field (15 of 28).

The transfer from Oklahoma had 23 points and nine rebounds in a win at Murray State, and 15 points and 12 rebounds in a one-point loss at Austin Peay.

Foust leads the Redhawks in scoring and rebounding, averaging 12 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Southeast (6-12, 4-5 OVC) hosts Tennessee State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Whitney, a junior forward, earned the women's newcomer award for the third time this season after she averaged 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games last week.

After scoring just six points in a win at Murray State, Whitney bounced back with 19 points and six rebounds in Saturday's loss at Austin Peay that snapped the Redhawks' eight-game winning streak.

Whitney, a former Charleston High School star who transferred to Southeast from Three Rivers Community College, leads the Redhawks in scoring with 13.5 points per game, and she is second in rebounding with 7.9 per game.

Southeast (11-5, 6-2 OVC) hosts Tennessee State at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Basketball promotions

There will be special promotions for Southeast's home basketball doubleheaders this week, as the men and women both play Tennessee State Thursday and Tennessee Tech Saturday.

It will be "Take a Kid To The Game Night" Thursday, with all children age 13 and under admitted free.

There will also be a mascot basketball game at halftime of Thursday's men's game, featuring Rowdy the Redhawk and other area commercial mascots.

Saturday will mark Rowdy's second birthday, with Fredbird of the world champion St. Louis Cardinals and Rocky from the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds on hand.

Also Saturday, between the women's and men's game, at approximately 6:45 p.m., the women's OVC championship banners from last season will be unveiled at the Show Me Center.

Gymnasts earn ranking

The impressive start to the season by the Southeast women's gymnastics team has earned the Redhawks a No. 22 ranking in this week's GymInfo national poll.

In addition, Southeast is also ranked fifth this week in the South Central Region.

The Redhawks posted a score of 193.700 to win Saturday's season-opening meet, a home triangular against Illinois-Chicago and Centenary.

Southeast is also ranked in the top 15 nationally in the balance beam (10th, 48.725) and the floor exercise (12th, 48.750), while a pair of underclassmen have earned rankings in the balance beam.

Sophomore Sandra Blake is tied for ninth (9.850), while freshman Jena Nguyen is tied for 20th (9.825).

The Redhawks have their first road competition of the season Friday night in a quad meet hosted by Illinois State. Also competing will be Illinois-Chicago and Centenary.

-- From staff reports