OTAHKIANS PLAY FINAL HOME GAME TONIGHT

Four seniors on Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team will play the final home game of their college careers tonight when the Otahkians face Belmont.

The non-conference contest is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center.

"It's always a special night when your seniors play their final game at home," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "I always have a lot of fond memories of the seniors."

Southeast's seniors are Moneik Campbell, Paula Corder-King, Liea Toedte and Allison Iversen. Campbell is the only one among the four who has been with the program since she was a freshman. The other three are junior-college transfers.

Campbell, a 5-foot-5 point guard, has been a full-time Otahkian starter since she was a sophomore, and she also started several games as a freshman.

A native of West Memphis, Ark., Campbell is averaging seven points per game this season to rank fourth on the team. She leads the squad in assists with 66 and steals with 32.

Campbell averaged 8.3 points per game as a junior, 7.8 as a sophomore and 4.3 as a freshman.

"Moneik has been with us four years and she's been a solid player here," said Arnzen. "I always think of her as our catalyst. As she goes, we go. I guess that's true of all point guards.

"Not only has Moneik had a fine career here, she's been a good student and a good citizen, an excellent representative of our university."

Corder-King, a 5-10 guard/forward who starred at both Ellington High School and Three Rivers Community College, has had a sensational two-year career for the Otahkians as she ranks as perhaps the program's all-time top pure shooter.

As a junior last season, Corder-King was the nation's top free-throw shooter as she hit 94.1 percent from the charity stripe, making 111 of 118. Along the way, she set Ohio Valley Conference records for free-throw percentage and consecutive free throws made (39).

After averaging 14.7 points per game a year ago to lead the Otahkians, Corder-King is again Southeast's top scorer at 15 points per contest. She once again leads the OVC in free-throw shooting at 94 percent (47 of 50) and would also lead the nation for the second season in a row, but she does not have enough attempts to qualify.

"Paula is the best free-throw shooter I've ever been around. She's always been a great shooter," Arnzen said. "She has worked extremely hard. She's had an awful lot of double teams on her this year, but she's still been a very good scorer.

"And Paula is also an excellent citizen and a great representative of our program."

Toedte, a 5-9 guard from Centralia, Ill., saw limited playing time last season but she has been a starter this year, averaging 5.6 points per game. She averaged 1.7 points as a junior.

Iversen, a 6-3 center from Denison, Iowa, has been a role player off the bench during her two seasons. She averaged 2.2 points per game last year, when she was second on the team in blocked shots with 31. This season, Iversen is averaging 1.4 points and leads the squad in blocks with 24.

"Liea was a role player for us last year who earned a starting spot this season," said Arnzen. "Allison has actually gotten a lot more playing time since (younger sister) Pam got hurt. She's never been a big scorer, but she's been a good player off the bench for us."

With the Otahkians saddled with an 8-15 record and a five-game losing streak, Arnzen would like nothing better than to send his four seniors out with one final home victory. But that won't be easy against an 18-6 Belmont squad that has gone 5-1 against OVC teams.

"It would be nice to win," Arnzen said. "But Belmont is a good club. They've got a lot of experience and are really balanced."

OTAHKIAN NOTES: Sophomore center Pam Iversen is now officially through for the season. Iversen, who suffered a serious knee injury Feb. 3, attempted to come back and she played in Saturday's loss to Murray State. But she left the game in pain and is now done for the season, with surgery set for the spring...

No admission will be charged for tonight's game...