MONTGOMERY PULLS OFF INSIDE JOB FOR INDIANS

When Southeast Missouri State University star center Bud Eley went down -- not once, but twice -- with leg injuries that just about wiped out his entire season, many observers believed the Indians would struggle big-time at the post position.

But the Indians have done anything but struggle in the middle. Instead, they have thrived, thanks to the stellar play of David Montgomery, who moved over from forward in Eley's absence -- and has played his best basketball of the season.

"I think we've found out that really, David's best, most natural position is in the post," said Southeast coach Gary Garner, who added with a laugh, "It shows you just how smart we coaches are. We had no idea David could play like this in the middle until Bud went down.

"If Bud had not gotten injured, we still probably wouldn't know just how good a post player David is."

The 6-foot-8 junior from North Little Rock, Ark. -- he and Southeast point guard Kahn Cotton were teammates in high school -- has been a major reason why the Indians have made a strong late-season push to contend for a top-four finish in the Ohio Valley Conference.

For the season, Montgomery is averaging 11.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and his field-goal percentage of .632 leads the OVC while ranking sixth nationally.

And in his last eight games -- playing as Southeast's primary inside threat when the 6-10 Eley was lost for the season with his second injury -- Montgomery has been a real terror inside, averaging more than 17 points and seven rebounds while shooting a sizzling 67 percent.

"David just continues to play really strong inside," said Garner. "He's getting more and more comfortable in the post position. He feels he can score any time he gets the ball and we probably need to get him the ball even more.

"When Bud went down, and then also when Demetrius (Watson) went down, David was really our only legitimate inside threat. We needed him to play well for us inside and he certainly has. If David doesn't get double-teamed, we feel like he can score against anybody. He's really got a lot of nice moves."

Montgomery, who averaged nearly eight points per game last season after sitting out the previous year following his transfer from Central Arkansas, credits the Indians' exceptional outside shooting for opening up the inside and allowing him room to operate.

"We've been shooting so well from the outside, that really opens it up for me inside," said the good-natured Montgomery in a pronounced southern drawl. "When we're shooting so well from the outside, then they can't double on me and I feel like I have a pretty good chance to score."

* Junior guard Cory Johnson leads the OVC in free-throw percentage (88.1), 3-point field-goal percentage (.451) and 3-pointers per game (3.68).

Johnson's 14.9 points per game is third-best in the OVC and he ranks second nationally in 3-pointers per game. The national leader is Virginia's Curtis Staples (4.2 per game).

* Cotton, also a junior guard, ranks high in several OVC categories: fifth in assists (4.04 per game), seventh in steals (1.83 per game) and ninth in 3-pointers (1.88 per game).

* As a team, the Indians lead the OVC in free-throw percentage (.700) and Southeast is within sight of the school's single-season record for 3-pointers in a season.

The record is 215, set during the 1989-90 season. Southeast currently has 201 and the Indians are assured of playing at least two more games.

* Southeast (13-12 overall, 9-8 OVC) still has a chance of finishing fourth in the conference and gaining a first-round tournament home game, but the chance is a slim one.

The Indians must beat Eastern Illinois in Saturday's regular-season finale (7:05 p.m. tipoff in Charleston, Ill.) and Austin Peay must lose both at Murray State and at Tennessee-Martin.

"We're still alive and kicking for the fourth spot," Garner said. "Anything can happen, but the main thing is we want to finish up strong by winning Saturday. If we do, then we're assured of a winning season and that was one of our goals at the start of the year."

* Southeast has no idea when the NCAA will hand down its ruling regarding the investigation of the basketball program, but it's beginning to look more and more like nothing will be done before the Indians begin play in the OVC Tournament, meaning any possible sanctions won't affect the rest of this season.

Southeast athletic director Carroll Williams said the school had been hoping to hear something before the OVC tourney, but "it could still be a while after that. We just don't know."