NCAA tournament regular awaits Southeast women

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team saw just how good Wisconsin-Green Bay is when the Phoenix routed the Redhawks 88-50 at the Show Me Center last year.

Southeast gets another look at the Phoenix tonight when the squads square off at 7 p.m. in Green Bay, Wis.

Southeast is 4-5 while UWGB, ranked 17th and 23rd in the two major national polls, is 8-0.

"It's going to be a tremendous challenge for us," Southeast coach John Ishee said. "They're one of the best teams in the country and they've had a great program for a long time."

The Phoenix have captured 12 straight Horizon League regular-season titles, the longest active streak in the nation for regular-season championships.

Southeast junior Karley Evans puts up a shot against Tennessee State during their game Saturday. (Laura Simon)

UWGB has won at least 20 games each of the past 11 years. Its last losing season came in 1976-77.

The Phoenix went 28-5 overall and 15-3 in league play last year, advancing to the NCAA tournament for their 13th consecutive time. They upset No. 5 Virginia as a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tourney.

The Phoenix are averaging 73.9 points per game while allowing 51.4 so far this year. Two of their wins were by a combined nine points while the other six were by at least 20 points.

"I don't think there are 10 teams in the country better than them on a neutral floor," Ishee said.

Considering that the Phoenix squad that hammered Southeast last year featured no seniors, Ishee knows what the Redhawks are up against tonight.

But Ishee is hopeful the Redhawks can show the toughness they displayed during Tuesday's 60-56 home victory over Western Michigan in which Southeast rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit.

"We need to have a good mindset against them, that we're not going to get beat by 40," Ishee said. "If we execute, I think we'll have a chance to be in the game.

"They're a great basketball team, but it's an opportunity for us to get better."

Following tonight's game, the Redhawks have a break for finals next week before resuming Ohio Valley Conference play Dec. 19 at Jacksonville State.

Southeast is 1-1 in the OVC, losing to Austin Peay at home and beating Tennessee State at home.