Ishee returns three starters from last year's 23-9 team

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Unlike last year, Southeast Missouri State's women are not the Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorites.

But coach John Ishee doesn't see any reason why the Redhawks can't continue their impressive OVC run.

The Redhawks are a perfect two-for-two in OVC regular-season titles since Ishee took over the program. He believes they have the personnel to emerge again with a championship.

"I really like our team," said Ishee, who has a 47-17 record at Southeast. "Our kids expect to win. They're used to winning.

"I think our chance [at the title] will be as good as anybody."

The Redhawks were picked to finish third in the 10-team OVC based on voting by the league's coaches and sports information directors at Wednesday's media day.

Southeast received three of a possible 20 first-place votes and 129 points.

Eastern Illinois is the preseason favorite with six first-place votes and 149 points.

Defending OVC tournament champion Murray State was tabbed for second with 144 points, although the Racers actually had the most first-place votes with eight.

Tennessee State grabbed the other three first-place votes and was picked fourth with 124 points.

"Those are all very good teams, and there are some other very good teams in the league," Ishee said. "I think in our conference, worst to first is about a basket every night."

Southeast lost a major inside presence after leading scorer and rebounder Missy Whitney — a first-team all-OVC center — completed her eligibility.

The Redhawks also graduated key guard Ashley Lovelady.

"Those two will be hard to replace," Ishee said.

But the Redhawks return three starters and 10 letterwinners from a squad that went 23-9 overall and 17-3 in conference play.

Senior guard Sonya Daugherty (12 points per game) and senior point guard Tarina Nixon (9.5 ppg) are Southeast's top returning scorers.

Nixon, second-team all-OVC last year and a starter since she was a freshman, and Daugherty both made the preseason all-conference team announced Wednesday.

Senior forward Rachel Blunt (7.8 ppg) is another full-time returning starter, while senior forward Crysta Glenn (6.3 ppg) made 12 starts and was Southeast's No. 2 rebounder with six a contest.

Most of the other returning players also will fill key roles, and Ishee looks for contributions from his five newcomers.

"I'm happy we have a lot of experience," said Ishee, whose squad begins practice Oct. 17. "And I think at some point all five newcomers will help us, to give us more depth than we ever have had."

About the only thing that went wrong for the Redhawks last year was their loss to Eastern Illinois in the semifinals of the OVC tournament, denying Southeast the chance to repeat as tourney champs.

Eastern Illinois will look to continue the momentum it gained last season — the Panthers reached the OVC tournament title game for the first time ever — with the return of all five starters.

Leading the Panthers is all-OVC senior forward Rachel Galligan (18.5 ppg), who led the league in scoring as the Panthers finished tied for second in the regular season.

"I'll be honest, being picked No. 1 is something we probably expected, but we also know it won't mean anything," Eastern Illinois coach Brady Sallee said.

Murray State also tied for second last year and beat Eastern Illinois for the program's first OVC tournament title.

The Racers return the league's Nos. 2 and 3 scorers in OVC player of the year Ashley Hayes (18.4 ppg) and fellow all-OVC senior guard Amber Guffey (17.7 ppg).

But those are the lone returning starters for first-year Murray State coach Rob Cross, a longtime Racers assistant.

"We definitely have two great players coming back, but to replace what we lost is impossible," Cross said.