Nutt receives one-year extension as Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach

~ The Southeast basketball coach had his contract extended through the 2014-15 season

Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt appreciates his latest vote of confidence.

Southeast announced Thursday that Nutt agreed to a one-year contract extension. He now is signed through the 2014-15 season, which would mark his sixth at Southeast.

Nutt cited Southeast director of athletics Mark Alnutt and president Ken Dobbins "for having the confidence in me to lead this basketball program. I'm very grateful to them and I'm very appreciative to the entire administration for believing in me.

"Coming off a winning season and now an extension, it certainly helps and propels our momentum. We certainly want to continue our project. I'm excited about what we are building here at Southeast Missouri State."

Alnutt said in a statement: "I'm pleased with the progress that our basketball team made during the 2012-13 season. One can take a look at our winning record and see that this program is moving in the right direction.

"Furthermore, I believe that coach Nutt continues to recruit high character individuals who understand what it takes to be successful student-athletes here at Southeast. I look forward to seeing continued growth with our program and one that is in position to compete for OVC championships in the future."

Nutt, who just completed his fourth season at Southeast, has elevated the Redhawks considerably after he took over a program that was saddled with NCAA probation and ranked among the nation's worst.

Southeast improved its overall record for the fourth straight year under Nutt.

The Redhawks went 17-16 for the program's first winning season since 2004-05 and the most victories since the 2000-01 squad won 18 games.

Southeast also notched Ohio Valley Conference tournament wins in three consecutive years for the first time in program history.

The Redhawks led the OVC and ranked eighth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (39.8). Southeast buried a team record 256 3-pointers, including an OVC single-game record 20 at Austin Peay.

Southeast also was first in the OVC in field-goal percentage defense (40.2), second in scoring (74.1 ppg), second in field-goal percentage (46.9), second in blocks (4.9) and second in assists (15.8).

"I feel like we've made a lot of strides," said Nutt, whose squad finished second in the OVC West Division. "Although in my personal eyes I feel like we might have underachieved this year, not done as well as we could have, I'm glad they [Southeast administrators] recognize that we have done some positive things.

"The first four years, my plan was to get the program up off the ground the right way with good people, good students, graduating people. I think we've done that. We've graduated 92 percent of our players."

Eleven of 12 players who completed their eligibility at Southeast have graduated since Nutt took over the program.

Nutt believes the Redhawks are ready to take another step forward next season, when they figure to rank among the OVC favorites after most of the key players on the league's top teams this year were seniors.

"I feel like expectations will be high and rightfully so. I think we can be really good," Nutt said. "It took four years to get us off the ground, to get us where we are, and I feel like phase two is coming up. I do think the sky is the limit for this program."

This is the second one-year contract extension Nutt has received after he originally signed a four-year contract in 2009. He was also extended following the 2010-11 campaign, his second at Southeast.

The terms on the one-year extension are the same as the original contract, which pays Nutt a base salary of $120,000 annually.