INDIANS DEVELOPING, OVERCOMING INJURIES

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's depth-impaired basketball team took another hit Saturday.

The Indians were already playing without leading scorer and rebounder Bud Eley, the 6-foot-10 center who broke his foot on Dec. 11 and will remain sidelined for at least another game or two.

Two other starters, 6-8 David Montgomery and guard Cory Johnson, are ailing with a sprained ankle and back spasms, respectively, although both were in the lineup against Morehead State.

Yet another key player, reserve guard Nathan Owen, was on the bench in street clothes after being suspended for two games because of disciplinary reasons.

And then during the first half of Saturday's contest, starting forward Demetrius Watson suffered a strained hip flexor. He led all scorers with nine first-half points but did not play in the second half and his status is day-to-day.

Considering that Southeast was not a deep team to begin with -- particularly up front -- the Indians had to play with an unusually short deck for much of the Ohio Valley Conference road game, especially after Montgomery fouled out with 7:49 left.

Which made the 64-61 win over the Eagles that much sweeter.

"We really had to overcome a lot," said Southeast coach Gary Garner.

With the Indians' shorthanded situation, stepping into the fray as an unlikely hero was 6-8, 230-pound junior William Lucas, who only recently joined the squad as a walk-on primarily to help out in practice.

But Lucas was pressed into action during critical times Saturday and he came through with four big points in nine minutes before having to leave the game in the late going with a sprained ankle of his own. He probably won't be able to play Monday night against Eastern Kentucky.

Lucas, who goes by the nickname 'Chief,' hit two pressure-packed free throws with 6:29 left in the second half to break a 46-46 tie. Although the Eagles forced several ties later, Southeast never trailed the rest of the way.

"Big Chief really gave us some great minutes," said Garner. "There's a heck of a difference between getting into a blowout game or playing in a conference game with a lot on the line.

"He handled himself really well. He's only been with us a short time. He really doesn't know our offense yet, but he's really big and strong."

With one big OVC road win under their belts, now the shorthanded Indians will try to figure out a way to squeeze out another victory away from home when they play at Eastern Kentucky Monday night.

"We'll definitely be without Chief and maybe without Demetrius," Garner said. "We've got to figure out a way to win that game."

* Garner picked up his first technical foul as Southeast's coach when he was whistled early in the second half.

Garner became upset when Cory Johnson appeared to be fouled right in front of the Southeast bench but there was no whistle.

"Well, I got my first 'T' out of the way," said Garner with a laugh. "I just told him that should have been a foul, which it should have been. I guess I said it too loud."

* Before being injured, Watson kept up his torrid shooting since becoming a starter after Eley went down.

The junior forward who transferred from Mineral Area College entered Saturday's game -- his fourth straight as a starter -- shooting 73 percent (16 of 22). Watson made all four of his field-goal attempts in the opening half Saturday.

"It's a shame Demetrius got hurt because he's been playing so well," Garner said.

* In a key result from around the OVC Saturday, heavy league favorite Murray State lost at Middle Tennessee State in overtime.