OTAHKIANS BELIEVE IT CAN BE THEM

As Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team prepares for its first-ever trip to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals, coach Ed Arnzen wonders: "Why not us?"

After all, the Otahkians own wins over the other three semifinalists. And they were in the running for the OVC regular-season championship all season before falling a game short at the end.

"I really don't see why it can't be us," said Arnzen. "Any of the four teams there can win it. I feel like we've got as good a shot as anybody."

The fourth-seeded Otahkians (19-8) will play top-seeded Tennessee Tech (19-8) at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Nashville (Tenn.) Arena. The second semifinal pits third-seeded Tennessee-Martin (20-7) against seventh-seeded Tennessee State (13-14) at 1 p.m.

Saturday's winners will meet at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The tournament champion earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Southeast battled Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin and Middle Tennessee for the OVC title virtually the entire season. The three Tennessee teams finished tied for first place, one game ahead of the Otahkians.

But second-seeded Middle Tennessee suffered an upset loss to Tennessee State in Tuesday's first round of the tournament. At the same time, Southeast, Tech and Martin all posted victories.

"Tennessee State winning did not really surprise me because they've got a lot of talent and they had been playing well," Arnzen said.

The Otahkians beat Tennessee State twice during the regular season while splitting with Tech and Martin.

"I don't know if you could really pick a favorite," said Arnzen. "I think it's wide open."

In a season of firsts for the Otahkians, they will be looking to advance to the OVC Tournament championship game for the first time ever.

Tuesday's 66-60 win over Murray State at the Show Me Center marked Southeast's first-ever OVC tourney victory. The Otahkians' overall and league wins this season also represent the most victories since they moved up to the Division I level eight years ago.

"Beating Murray was really a big win for us because it got a big monkey off our back," said Arnzen. "We'd never won a first-round game. Unlike the men, we did not have any restrictions, so we were eligible for the tournament every year. We've had the opportunity every year."

Coming off two dismal seasons in which the Otahkians went a combined 13-40 and finished at or near the bottom of the OVC standings, Arnzen had a simple goal for his team when the season started. He's since had to adjust that goal.

"My goal was to get to Nashville," he said. "Now we've altered that goal. Now we want to do more."

* Junior forward Paula Corder, who has already established herself as one of the OVC's best shooters ever, continues to lead the nation from the free-throw line.

Corder is hitting 94 percent of her foul shots to rank first nationally for the third consecutive week. Her current streak of 38 consecutive made free throws is an OVC record. Earlier this season, Corder tied the OVC mark for 3-point field goals in one game by making nine.

Freshman center Pam Iversen is third nationally in free-throw shooting at 89.2 percent.

* If the Otahkians win Saturday, it will not only get them to the OVC Tournament championship game, it will also mark quite a milestone for Arnzen.

Southeast's next victory will give Arnzen his 300th victory as the Otahkians' coach. Arnzen has a 299-159 record in his 16th season at Southeast.