INDIANS FIND SCHIZOPHRENIC TIGERS WAITING; SE FACES UNPREDICTABLE TENN. ST.

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner looks at Tennessee State as one of the Ohio Valley Conference's real mystery teams.

Garner is hoping the Tigers remain as mysterious as possible tonight when they meet the Indians in a 7:30 tipoff at the Show Me Center.

When Garner looks at Tennessee State, he sees one of the OVC's most talented squads, one capable of beating anybody on a given night.

But Garner also sees a team that often times doesn't play up to its potential. He's hoping that's the Tigers' squad that shows up at the Show Me Center tonight.

"They are a team that is really hard to figure," said Garner. "They've got tremendous talent. Their talent level is close to Murray State's. They're big and strong up front and they have very good shooters.

"I don't know why they don't play better on a consistent basis. They've lost some players over the course of the season and it has to be a chemistry problem with them."

Added Garner with a laugh, "I really don't know what the reason is (for the Tigers' inconsistency). Let's just hope they don't get it together (tonight)."

The Tigers were picked to finish second in the 10-team OVC this season after advancing to last year's conference tournament championship game. They are in a tie for fourth place at 5-6; Tennessee State is 8-11 overall.

Southeast, tabbed for fifth in the OVC preseason poll, has all but clinched at least second place -- which would mark the Indians' best-ever OVC finish since they joined the league and moved up to Division I in the 1991-92 season. Southeast's best previous conference showing was a tie for fourth place in 1992-93.

The Indians are 10-1 in conference play -- they have already tied last year's team record for OVC wins -- and 13-6 overall as they are still very much on the heels of league-leading Murray State, which is 12-0. Looking at the other side of Southeast, every other conference team has at least six losses.

"It looks like we're in good shape (for second place), but our goal is to win the championship," Garner said. "That's why this week is so important for us. We've got three home games and to have any chance of winning the conference championship, we have to win all three games."

But Garner knows that Southeast, which entertains Middle Tennessee State Thursday night and Tennessee Tech Saturday night, must focus all its attention on tonight's opponent.

"We've emphasized all year that we have to take it one game at a time," Garner said. "So far we've done a really good job of that. We've done a really good job of not looking past anybody."

The Indians, who have won seven of their last eight games, hammered the Tigers earlier this season in Nashville, posting a surprisingly lopsided 70-49 victory on Dec. 3.

In that game, Southeast pounded Tennessee State on the boards by a 52-22 count. The Tigers are second in the OVC in rebounding and have the league's top two offensive rebounders.

"Rebounding will be the biggest factor in the game," said Garner. "They're a very good rebounding team. We really emphasized that the last time we played them and we did a great job on the boards. We need to do a really good job on the boards again."

Tennessee State has the OVC's leading scorer in Jamie Roberts, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard who averages 19.8 points per game and shoots better than 35 percent from 3-point range.

Also scoring in double figures for the Tigers are 6-8 senior forward Jason Johnson (11.5 ppg) and 6-7 junior center Corey Williams (10.8 ppg).

Williams and Johnson are fourth and fifth in the OVC in rebounding at more than eight per game. They are also the top two offensive rebounders in the league.

"They really do have everything you need to be a very good basketball team," said Garner. "They've got strong inside players and Roberts is a great player. We're going to have our hands full."

Garner hopes his players don't make too much out of that earlier 21-point victory over the Tigers.

"When you beat a team that bad, the biggest thing you worry about is being overconfident, because we're not 21 points better than them. It was just one of those games," Garner said. "But I don't think we'll be overconfident because our players realize how important it is to keep winning."

Tennessee State at SEMO

7:30 p.m., Show Me Center

Probable Starters

SEMO (13-6, 10-1 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Mike Branson F Jr. 6-6 10.9

Roderick Johnson F Jr. 6-7 11.3

Bud Eley C Sr. 6-10 14.7

Cory Johnson G Sr. 6-0 11.5

Kahn Cotton G Sr. 5-10 8.6

Tennessee State (8-11, 5-6 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Ralph Martin F So. 6-8 5.1

Jason Johnson F Sr. 6-8 11.5

Corey Williams C Jr. 6-7 10.8

Darwin Carter G Jr. 6-1 8.4

Jamie Roberts G So. 6-3 19.8

Series: Tennessee State leads 8-7

Last Meeting: SEMO won 70-49 on Dec. 3

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