OTAHKIANS WANT TO REVERSE OVC POLL

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen must be feeling a little snake-bit right now.

Not only were the Otahkians recently picked to finish dead last in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference, but they've also suffered through several injuries that have forced them to cancel tonight's scheduled Red-White intrasquad game.

Despite all this, however, Arnzen and his players remain upbeat entering the 1997-98 season.

Speaking during Thursday's Otahkian media day at the Show Me Center, Arnzen and three of his seniors say they're planning to prove all the so-called experts wrong this season.

"I know we're picked last and that didn't surprise me," said Arnzen of the preseason OVC poll that is based on voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. "But a lot of things can happen during the season. I do not believe we are a last-place team and I don't think our players believe that either.

"When the dust settles at the end of the season, I expect us to be one of the top four teams in the league. That's what I want."

Arnzen, who has a 272-132 career record entering his 15th season as coach of the Otahkians, need only point to the 1995-96 season as evidence that sometimes the polls can be way off. That year, Southeast was also picked to finish last in the OVC but wound up placing third.

"Anything can happen once you throw the ball up," Arnzen said.

And that time will be here soon. The Otahkians, who went 5-21 overall and a last-place 3-15 in the OVC last season, open the campaign Nov. 15 at home against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Prior to the season opener, Southeast will have an exhibition game Tuesday when the Finnish National Team comes to the Show Me Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

"As a team, we're very excited and ready for the season to begin," said senior forward Jamie Koester, who led the Otahkians last year with 15.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. "I definitely think being picked last is a lot of motivation for us.

"It (the poll) doesn't mean anything. We're anxious to prove to people that we have a good team."

Said senior guard Jamie (Wahlert) Neff, "We don't want the kind of season we had last year again. Our whole attitude is better this year. I don't think people will recognize us."

Added senior forward Stephanie Faith, "We're excited. We're not expected to do well and we want to prove to everybody that we do have a good team."

The Otahkians return nine players who saw action last season, including three starters. Koester is the team's only returning double-figure scorer but Arnzen believes the added experience of his other returnees along with several talented newcomers will cause a dramatic improvement in Southeast's record.

"I really think we can be a good team," he said. "You can't live on past glory and you can't live on past frustrations. I'm trying to preach to these young ladies that what happened last year is last year. We have to move forward."

OTAHKIAN NOTES: As far as Southeast's injury situation, Koester has been out of practice the past several days because of back spasms. She should be ready to play next week.

Also, junior point guard Rusty Sowers, a junior-college transfer, was involved in an automobile accident Monday and probably will not be cleared to play until Sunday.

"Because of those injuries, we won't have our red-white game, but we will have a modified scrimmage (tonight)," Arnzen said...

The OVC is splitting the doubleheaders for the men's and women's games this year, meaning the women will be the only team playing on Mondays throughout the season...

KAPE-1550 AM will once again broadcast all Otahkian games this season. Barry Gresham will be in his second year as the voice of the Otahkians.