OTAHKIANS GAIN MUCH-NEEDED WIN

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Despite playing without its leading scorer, Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team began the 2000 portion of its season in fine fashion Monday night, although it wasn't easy.

The Otahkians improved their record to 3-7 with an 80-78 overtime road victory over non-conference foe Arkansas-Little Rock, which is also now 3-7.

Southeast played without Paula Corder-King, who suffered a hand injury during a recent practice and could miss two more games.

Pam Iversen scored 13 points and pulled down eight rebounds for the Otahkians. Freshman Kristy Roherty also scored 13 points, eight coming in overtime as she hit five of six key free throws down the stretch. Freshman Lori Chase added 10 points.

UALR got 26 points from Muci Harris, who hit 10 of 18 shots from the field.

"This is huge for us. Any kind of a win here would have been huge," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "We're struggling with our confidence and we needed a win in the worst way."

UALR scored the game's first five points and, although the Otahkians went ahead in the latter stages of the first half, the Trojans rallied to take a 36-35 halftime lead on a basket in the closing seconds of the opening period.

Things remained extremely tight in the second half, which featured numerous lead changes and ties. Iversen's shot with just over one minute remaining pulled Southeast into a 68-68 tie and that was the score heading into overtime.

Annie Struve hit one of two free throws a little more than one minute into the five-minute extra session, giving the Otahkians a 69-68 lead that they would not relinquish.

Liea Toedte made one of two foul shots for a 70-68 Southeast lead and Roherty's big 3-pointer gave the Otahkians a 73-68 advantage.

Southeast was then able to hang on for the win, thanks in large part to Roherty's strong free-throw shooting in the closing moments.

The Otahkians prevailed despite hitting just 18 of 37 free throws in the game.

Southeast, 0-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play, will have a pair of OVC home games this week, facing Tennessee State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Austin Peay at 1 p.m. Saturday.