INDIANS, RACERS PLAY FOR HIGH STAKES; OVC LEAD, SEASON CROWN ON THE LINE

If tonight's Ohio Valley Conference basketball showdown between Southeast Missouri State University and Murray State is anything like the last time the teams met, then fans are in for quite a treat.

When Southeast and Murray State squared off on Jan. 14 in Cape Girardeau, the Indians erased a 15-point halftime deficit, took a late lead and then saw Aubrey Reese hit a shot with less than a second left for a spine-tingling 71-70 Racers' victory.

Nobody knows if tonight's 7:30 contest at the new Regional Special Events Center in Murray, Ky., will contain that type of finish.

But the importance of the game certainly can't be overstated.

For Murray State, it's a chance to take a giant step toward its 11th OVC regular-season championship in the past 12 years.

For Southeast, in the OVC title chase this late in the season for the first time ever, it's a chance to pull into a first-place tie with the Racers. Both teams would then have three regular-season games remaining.

So the battle lines are drawn. Let the war begin.

"It should be a great college basketball game with a tremendous atmosphere," said Southeast coach Gary Garner, noting that the 8,500-seat Regional Special Events Center could very well be filled to capacity. "This is really what college basketball is all about."

The high-flying Racers, 13-1 in OVC play, are 21-4 overall. Pretty impressive stuff, to be sure. But that record would be even more dazzling if Murray State hadn't lost its last two games -- marking the Racers' first back-to-back defeats in two years.

Murray State suffered a shocking 74-73 loss at Tennessee-Martin Saturday night as the Racers had a 25-game OVC winning streak snapped. Monday night, the Racers went out of the league and fell 62-51 at Saint Louis.

"It's been a long time, and it's not a good feeling," said Murray State coach Tevester Anderson of his squad's consecutive losses.

Southeast is 12-2 in OVC play and 15-7 overall as the Indians trail the Racers by one game. Southeast has already clinched at least second place in the league but they have their sights set on the championship.

"That's been our goal since the beginning of the season," Garner said.

In order to do that, the Indians will have to slow down the Racers' vaunted transition game and also keep Murray State off the boards. Patience on offense will also be a virtue for Southeast.

"Those will be the three biggest factors in the game," said Garner. "No. 1, we have to get their transition game under control. No. 2, we have to rebound with them. And No. 3, we have to have a lot of patience on offense.

"Those are three things we think we can do, and if we do them, then we believe it's a game we can win."

The Indians had trouble with the Racers' transition game and on the boards during the first half of the previous meeting; hence, Murray State's big halftime lead.

But after some halftime adjustments, the Indians dominated the second half and very nearly pulled off the major victory.

"In the second half of that game, we were able to get more people back to stop their transition game," said Garner. "What we have to do is get them in a half-court game, although we want to take the break when it's there. But we can't run up and down the floor with them."

The Racers are led offensively by 6-foot-6 junior forward Isaac Spencer, who averages 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and is a leading candidate for OVC Player of the Year honors, although Southeast center Bud Eley is probably at the top of that list.

But Spencer is far from Murray State's only weapon. Reese, a 6-foot senior point guard, averages 14.5 points and more than five assists per game.

Also scoring in double figures for the Racers are 6-7 junior forward Rod Murray (12.2 ppg) and 6-9 senior center Duane Virgil (10.9 ppg) while 6-5 junior guard Marlon Towns (9.0 ppg) isn't far behind.

"They have great athletes at every position and they have five players who can score on the floor at all times," Garner said. "But we're a good defensive team."

The Indians will try to end a few major streaks tonight. Southeast has lost 13 straight times to Murray State, its last victory over the Racers coming in 1992, its first year in Division I. And the Indians' last victory in Murray was way back in 1946.

In addition, the Racers have a 40-game home winning streak -- the longest in the nation among Division I teams.

But the Indians are 6-0 in OVC road games this season, which gives them confidence.

"We know the challenges we face in this game," said Garner. "But I believe, and our players believe, that if we do the things we need to do, then we can win."

SEMO at Murray State

7:30 p.m., Murray, Ky.

Probable Starters

SEMO (15-7, 12-2 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Mike Branson F Jr. 6-6 10.7

Roderick Johnson F Jr. 6-7 11.9

Bud Eley C Sr. 6-10 15.1

Cory Johnson G Sr. 6-0 11.1

Kahn Cotton G Sr. 5-10 7.9

Murray State (21-4, 13-1 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Isaac Spencer F Jr. 6-6 16.3

Rod Murray F Jr. 6-7 12.2

Duane Virgil C Sr. 6-9 10.9

Marlon Towns G Jr. 6-5 9.0

Aubrey Reese G Sr. 6-0 14.5

Series: Murray leads 27-12 and has won 13 straight

Last Meeting: Murray won 71-70 on Jan. 14

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