Harris' big finale cramps Govs' style

~ The junior scored nine of his 12 points in the third overtime period.

The white salt from dried sweat highlighted Hank Harris' face after Southeast Missouri State's thrilling 121-116 victory against Austin Peay on Tuesday night.

Harris backs up Roderick Pearson at point guard, but Harris was called upon to play the vast majority of the game after Pearson spent most of the game on the bench in foul trouble.

Harris, who averages 11.7 minutes per game this season, played 41 minutes Tuesday.

"My legs are cramping up," Harris said. "My legs are gone."

But Harris found a way to deliver in the clutch in the third overtime.

The junior's biggest shot came with the shot clock about to expire. He chucked up a 3-pointer that sailed through the net to give the Redhawks a 115-111 lead with 41 seconds left in the third overtime.

"I had no choice but to shoot it," he said. "If I'm going to shoot it, I might as well make it. There was only like 2 seconds left. I was like OK, just jump up and shoot it."

Southeast senior Mike Rembert made fun of Harris during the postgame interview session for the desperation 3-pointer.

"Steve Kerr's here with the clutch 3," Rembert saying, nodding at Harris.

Harris has been anything but automatic from 3-point range this season. He entered the game 1-of-9 from beyond the arc, although he did hit a 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down in the second overtime for his first points in the game Tuesday.

When someone raised the topic of Harris' anemic offensive statistics before Tuesday's effort, Southeast coach Scott Edgar cut off the question with a resounding, "Duh."

But then Edgar explained he never doubted Harris' ability to hit big shots in crucial spots.

"He gets in practice as many shots as anyone," Edgar said. "One thing we work on a lot is shooting. I want guys to feel comfortable at the right time to jump up and shoot the ball."

Even after Harris' 3-pointer, he wasn't done icing the game. Austin Peay sent him to the line with 29 seconds left and the Redhawks clinging to a four-point lead.

Harris, who was 4-of-9 from the foul line before Tuesday, calmly knocked down both attempts.

When the Governors cut Southeast's lead to six with 9.4 seconds left, Harris found himself at the free-throw line again.

Two attempts, two buckets.

"We've been practicing free throws forever," Harris said. "We're not a good free-throw shooting team. I just get up there, do my routine and shoot it. Coach always says, 'It's a free shot, you got to make it.' I was like, 'OK, I'll make it and I'll be fine.'"

Edgar needed to call on Harris to play significant minutes because Pearson picked up his second foul 17:12 into the first half, then his third foul with 19:21 left in the second half. He fouled out with 5:45 left in the second half.

Harris said he's trying to work with the sophomore Pearson to avoid the early foul trouble, even though that will mean less playing time for Harris.

"That's my protege," Harris said of Pearson. "That's my boy. I just got to teach him things, like slow down and make the right decisions."

Harris doesn't expect Tuesday's effort to lead to a spot in the starting lineup. He understands where he fits onto the team.

"I was going to do whatever I had to do," Harris said. "If it was 10 minutes, 20 minutes, however many. I was going to play them all and do what I have to do.

"The minutes are great, don't get me wrong. I love basketball. You're in college basketball, you got to love it. I'm just trying to play some defense. Play my role."

Harris finished with 12 points after scoring 23 points all season entering the game. He was almost more proud of his seven assists than his point total.

"I don't even worry about my scoring," he said. "I don't even care. As long as I got some assists, get some steals, get some rebounds, whatever I got to do. I just try to play point guard and get it to my scorers."