Indians take spoiler role into rematch against Tech

Southeast Missouri State University's Indians played one of their best games of the season Feb. 1 when they upset Tennessee Tech 75-71 at the Show Me Center.

Coach Gary Garner said he hopes the Indians can match that performance tonight and win the rematch in Cookeville, Tenn.

"We really played well when we beat them earlier, and we're probably going to have to play at least that well to have a chance on the road," Garner said.

As the regular season ends this week, Southeast and Tennessee Tech are jockeying for position -- although at opposite ends of the Ohio Valley Conference standings.

The Indians (10-17, 4-10) are eighth in the nine-team league and are assured of playing Tuesday at either Morehead State or Austin Peay in the first round of the OVC Tournament.

Southeast can still finish as high as seventh in the conference -- and the Indians would like to not only do that but also carry momentum into the tournament by closing strong this week, which includes Saturday's season-ending game at last-place Tennessee State.

"We need to win going into the tournament," sophomore guard Brett Hale said. "We'll be underdogs at Tennessee Tech, but maybe we can pull it off."

The Eagles (16-11, 9-5) are third in the OVC and have won nine of their last 12 conference games after dropping their first two league contests.

Two-time defending OVC regular-season champion Tennessee Tech has been eliminated from repeating and likely will not be able to finish higher than third, but a win tonight would assure the Eagles a first-round OVC Tournament home game, a reward that goes to the top four finishers.

"They're trying to clinch a home game in the tournament and build momentum for the tournament like we are, so they'll be really tough to beat on their home floor," Garner said.

Tennessee Tech has an experienced lineup led by powerful inside players Damien Kinloch and Greg Morgan, along with skilled perimeter performers Cameron Crisp and Brent Jolly.

Kinloch, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound senior who was last season's OVC Newcomer of the Year, averages 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 58.6 percent from the field. Morgan, a 6-8, 235-pound senior, shoots 65 percent and averages 9.1 points.

Crisp, a 6-4 junior, and Jolly, a 6-6 senior, average 12.7 and 11.5 points, respectively. Jolly is shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.

"They've got a very talented and experienced team, basically the same team that won the league last year. I picked them to win the league this year," Garner said. "They're probably the strongest team in the league inside with Kinloch and Morgan. That's their strength, their inside play. Those two are hard to defend."

But, added Garner, "We think we can beat them. We'll have to play really well, but we think we can do it."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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