Ishee believes 4-game stretch key in OVC race

There will still be more than half of the Ohio Valley Conference schedule remaining after the next two weeks.

But Southeast Missouri State acting head coach John Ishee believes the Redhawks' upcoming four games during that period could go a long way toward defining their season.

The Redhawks have three road games in their next four contests, beginning with today's 4:30 p.m. tipoff at Eastern Kentucky.

Southeast then returns home to host Eastern Illinois on Thursday, before venturing back out on the road to face OVC-leading Murray State on Jan. 8 and Austin Peay on Jan. 13.

"These next four games, it's going to be almost like separation or back to the pack," Ishee said. "Hopefully, we can start it off right."

Southeast (8-4, 3-1), which has won five straight games, is in second place in the 11-team OVC, one game behind Murray State.

EKU (5-8, 2-2) is tied for third place in the conference and just one game behind Southeast.

The Colonels are led offensively by 5-foot-9 junior guard Crystal Jones, who averages 17 points per game. She is a junior college transfer in her first season at EKU.

Ashley Cazee, a 5-9 junior guard who was a preseason second-team all-OVC selection, contributes 12 points per game, as five EKU players average in double figures.

"They're always a tough team, and I know how tough that place is to win at," Ishee said. "Their coach [Larry Joe Inman] is the dean of coaches in the OVC. I've known him for a long time and have a lot of respect for him.

"We're going to have our hands full and we'll have to play well to win."

Southeast has played two OVC road games so far, beating Tennessee State by 14 points and losing to Tennessee Tech by one point.

The Redhawks realize playing away from home in the conference always is a major challenge, but they say they're ready for it.

"It's always tough on the road, especially in the conference," said junior guard Ashley Lovelady, Southeast's second-leading scorer at 12.4 points per game, behind junior forward Missy Whitney's 13.8 average. "You have to expect anything to happen."

Added senior center Lachelle Lyles, the nation's leading rebounder with an average of 16.3 per game: "You just have to be really focused on the road and come out with a lot of intensity. If we do that, I think we'll be all right."