OTAHKIANS ATTEMPT TO END OVC SLIDE

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen can point to a game on Jan. 23 in Murray, Ky., as to where his team's most recent troubles began.

The Otahkians were coming off a solid road trip that saw them upset Middle Tennessee State in overtime and suffer a close loss to Tennessee Tech.

Southeast then went on the road again to face Murray State. Arnzen was confident that the Otahkians were beginning to turn the corner and he figured they could get back into the Ohio Valley Conference picture.

But the Otahkians played one of their worst games of the season. The Lady Racers weren't much better, but they squeezed out a 52-50 victory.

Since that time, the Otahkians have not won, their losing streak stretching to four games. And the Lady Racers have not lost, their winning streak reaching four contests.

Today, in a 5 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center, the squads will square off in a rematch. The Otahkians are in a virtual must-win situation if they hold any hopes of qualifying for the OVC Tournament.

"That game over in Murray was a pivotal one for us," said Arnzen. "I thought we had a chance to really bury Murray (in the OVC standings) but we didn't do it. Since then, they haven't lost and we haven't won."

Only the top eight squads in the final regular-season standings of the 10-team OVC qualify for the league tournament. Southeast (4-15 overall, 2-9 OVC) is in last place right now, 1 1/2 games behind Middle Tennessee and two full games behind both Tennessee State and Tennessee-Martin.

"We've definitely got to start making something happen if we have any chance of making it into the (OVC) tournament," Arnzen said. "I don't think either team played well when we played Murray State over there.

"They've got a pretty talented team, but it's a game that we should have a chance to win if we play well."

The Lady Racers (8-11 overall, 5-6 OVC) are led by Stephaine Minor, the preseason OVC Player of the Year who is averaging 19.1 points per game.

Following today's game, the Otahkians will hit the road for two games, playing Morehead State Saturday and league-leading Eastern Kentucky Sunday.