OTAHKIANS BLAST CHRISTIAN BROTHERS IN SEASON OPENER

OK, so Christian Brothers University isn't exactly Tennessee or Connecticut.

But Southeast Missouri State won only 13 games the past two seasons. So any victory, and especially a 43-point rout, is cause for celebration for the Otahkians.

Five players scored in double figures as Southeast dismantled CBU 94-51 before 1,105 fans Saturday night in the Show Me Center. The meeting was both teams' season opener.

"Oh yeah, this was a much-needed win," said Southeast guard Moneik Campbell, who scored 13 points and keyed a second-half burst that pushed the Otahkians way ahead.

"This goes on the record as a win in which we've blown someone out," she said. "After all the losses it's sort of hard to get back on top, but with this win tonight we're ready for the rest of the season."

Guard Rusty Sowers had 11 points, and newcomers Paula Corder, Pam Iversen and Liea Toedte also scored in double digits.

Corder, a junior forward who transferred from Three Rivers Community College, led Southeast with 14 points. Iversen, a 6-foot-1 freshman, had 12 points and team-leading nine rebounds, and Toedte added 11 points off the bench behind 3-of-4 3-point shooting.

"We've got a bunch of new kids and I didn't know how they would react to the first regular season game," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "We thought we had more talent than CBU. But two years ago they came in here and beat us 73-57, and that was still in the front of my mind."

Southeast established a team record with nine blocks as junior Allison Iversen, a 6-3 senior and Pam's sister, tied the team mark with six. CBU shot a paltry 29.2 percent from the field.

The Lady Bucs trailed by just a point, 18-17, about midway through the first half. But after consecutive 3-pointers from Toedte, Campbell's jumper and a free throw pushed Southeast ahead 31-17 with 7:05 remaining in the half.

Leading 40-29 at the break, the Otahkians put together a 26-6 run in the second half's first seven minutes and led 66-35 after a pair of jumpers from Corder and a Sowers 3-pointer.

"We went to a full-court press, got some steals and with Moneik Campbell running the basketball we got some fast-break layups off of it," Arnzen said. "I thought Moneik controlled the basketball game. It was her game. I thought she had a spectacular effort."

Southeast shot 50.7 percent from the field and 40 percent on 3-point attempts.