OTAHKIANS FINALLY WORK OUT GAME WITH SO. ILLINOIS

The first meeting with regional rival Southern Illinois in 20 years and a possible game against NCAA Tournament qualifier Missouri highlight Southeast Missouri State University's 2001-2002 women's basketball schedule that was released Thursday.

Southeast's 27-game regular-season schedule will also feature a tournament at Texas-Pan American and the usual 16 Ohio Valley Conference contests.

"I like the schedule and I think it's a tough non-conference schedule," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "There are some names on our non-conference schedule that people will identify with, and yet, I don't think it's a schedule we're just going to get wiped out with. We have a chance to compete against those clubs, but we have to start the season ready to play."

Arnzen is particularly excited about the game against Southern Illinois, set for Nov. 24 at the Show Me Center. The Otahkians have not played the Salukis from Carbondale under Arnzen's tenure, which spans 18 years.

"It's long overdue that we play them and we were finally able to get together on a date," Arnzen said. "Then we'll go to their place next year."

The Missouri Tournament, which has not yet determined first-round pairings, will also include Southeastern Louisiana and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. Play will be held Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Southeast will compete in one other tournament, the round-robin Texas-Pan American Classic Nov. 16-17 that tips off the regular season. The Otahkians will face both Texas-Pan Am and Montana, which went 21-9 last year.

Other non-conference home games for the Otahkians will be against Oakland City, Samford, Missouri Baptist and IUPU-Fort Wayne. Southeast will visit Lipscomb and Northern Illinois for non-league road contests.

The Otahkians will have 13 regular-season home games and will also play two exhibition games at the Show Me Center. The exhibition opponents, to be played Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, have not yet been determined.

Southeast went 14-13 overall last year and finished fourth in the OVC with a 9-7 record.

* 2001-2002 men's basketball schedule has not yet been finalized but is expected to be released soon.

In addition to the usual OVC games and contests with regional rivals Southern Illinois and Southwest Missouri, it is known that the Indians will play St. Louis University Dec. 15 at the Savis Center in St. Louis.

2001-02 SCHEDULE

(Home games in capital letters)

Nov. 2 - EXHIBITION, TBD, 7 p.m.

Nov. 9 - EXHIBITION, TBD, 7 p.m.

Nov. 16-17 - at Texas-Pan American Classic, TBD

Nov. 20 - OAKLAND CITY, 7 p.m.

Nov. 24 - SO. ILLINOIS, 7 p.m.

Nov. 27 - at Lipscomb, 6 p.m.

Nov. 30 - at Missouri Tournament,

Dec. 1 - at Missouri Tournament,

Dec. 5 - at Northern Illinois, TBD

Dec. 8 - SAMFORD, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 2 - MISSOURI BAPTIST, 7 p.m.

Jan. 5 - at Eastern Illinois, TBD

Jan. 8 - TENNESSEE TECH, 7 p.m.

Jan. 10 - E. KENTUCKY, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 12 - MOREHEAD ST., 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 - TENN. ST,, 7 p.m.

Jan. 17 - at Tennessee-Martin, TBD

Jan. 19 - at Murray State, TBD

Jan. 23 - IUPU-FORT WAYNE, 7 p.m.

Jan. 26 - AUSTIN PEAY, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 - at Tennessee State, TBD

Feb. 2 - at Tennessee Tech, TBD

Feb. 7 - at Morehead State, TBD

Feb. 9 - at Eastern Kentucky, TBD

Feb. 14 - TENN. -MARTIN, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 - MURRAY ST., 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 - E. ILLINOIS, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 - at Austin Peay, TBD