JOHNSON THINKS OF HIS GREATEST LOSS AFTER HIS BIGGEST WIN

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Roderick Johnson, the most valuable player of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, seems sincere when he says he doesn't put much stock in individual accolades.

But Johnson knows at least one person who will be elated by the award that Southeast Missouri State University's senior forward captured -- his late mother.

"I've dedicated every game to her this year and I know she's been watching me play," said Johnson, who helped lead the Indians past Murray State 67-56 in Sunday's OVC tourney championship game as Southeast earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth as a Division I program.

Johnson's mother died of breast cancer when Johnson was redshirting at Southeast during the 1997-98 season after he transferred from Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"Her birthday was Friday and I think about her all the time. I said a prayer for her (Friday)," Johnson said. "When I go home, I'll really think about her."

Of claiming tourney MVP honors, Johnson said, "I don't care as long as we win. I didn't come down here to do that. As long as we won and we're going to the NCAA Tournament, that's the main thing."

Johnson, who leads Southeast in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, steals and field-goal percentage, said he wasn't even upset that he surprisingly did not make the all-OVC first team in voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

"I didn't really care about that," said Johnson, a second-team selection.

But Southeast coach Gary Garner figures there's no way the top player on the OVC's regular-season co-championship squad should not have made the all-conference first team.

"Roderick should have definitely made the first team," said Garner. "I think he showed everybody here what kind of player he is."

But more importantly to Johnson, the Indians showed everybody here over the weekend what kind of team they are.

"It's a great feeling," he said. "I'm so happy. To be part of the first Southeast Missouri team that goes (to the NCAA Tournament) means a lot to me."

The way Johnson figures, by beating Murray State Sunday and making the NCAA field of 64, the Indians have finally wiped away all the demons left over from last year's one-point, buzzer loss to the Racers in the OVC Tournament finals.

"I know it was in the back of our minds, the way we lost on the last-second shot," he said. "I watched that game on film a lot, but when we beat Murray (during the regular season), I stopped watching it.

"Now, I think we can all forget about it. We're going to the Big Dance."

* Garner is also not somebody who appears to be hung up about personal awards. But he couldn't help but take pride in guiding a team to the NCAA Tournament on the Division I level for the first time as a head coach.

"The places I've been...my career has been up and down," Garner said. "So much satisfaction goes along with this. It really means a lot to me."

When Garner, in his third season as the Indians' coach, was hired by Southeast, he said he believed the program had all the necessary ingredients to become an OVC power and make the NCAA tourney.

"I thought everything was in place here, a nice arena, tremendous support, everything you need," he said. "Still, it's not easy to do (make the NCAA tourney). This is a tremendous accomplishment for our program. Everybody should be extremely proud."

* Garner drew plenty of laughter during his post-game question-and-answer session with the media when somebody asked him what seed he thought the Indians should receive when the NCAA Tournament pairings are released next Sunday.

"I think we ought to be a No. 1 seed," said a smiling Garner, who, on a more serious note, said, "Hopefully we can get a fortunate draw, and I know we'll play extremely hard."

In all probability, the Indians will likely be in the neighborhood of a No. 14 or No.13 seed.