OTAHKS CAN ILL AFFORD TO UNDERESTIMATE OVC'S CELLAR DWELLER

Morehead State's women's basketball team is in last place in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Lady Eagles having yet to win a league game.

But Southeast Missouri State University coach Ed Arnzen knows the Otahkians would be making a huge mistake to underestimate the Lady Eagles in today's 5:30 p.m. contest at the Show Me Center.

"I've said all along that there isn't much difference between any of the (OVC) teams except for Tennessee Tech," said Arnzen. "I believe Tennessee Tech is head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in our league, but everybody else is very close.

"I think that, on any given night, any of the other teams in our league (except for Tennessee Tech) can beat anybody else. So you have to be ready to play every night."

Arnzen has plenty of respect for the Lady Eagles, despite their 0-8 OVC record and their 1-16 overall mark.

"They'll play with as much or more spirit as any team in the league," he said.

Southeast, 6-10 overall and 3-5 in the OVC, will be looking to build on the momentum it gained by Saturday's hard-fought 83-70 win over Eastern Illinois that snapped a three-game losing streak and boosted the Otahkians into sole possession of eighth place in the 10-team league.

"It was a game we really needed to have," said Arnzen, whose squad will be playing the third contest in a four-game homestand today. "This is a big homestand for us. We really need to win these last two (including Saturday against Eastern Kentucky)."

The Otahkians' goal, according to Arnzen, is to finish among the top four teams in the final league standings, thus earning a home game for the first round of the OVC Tournament.

While Arnzen knows it will be virtually impossible to contend for the league title Tennessee Tech is 8-0 and looks like a virtual lock for the championship the Otahkian coach believes a top-four finish is still a solid possibility.

Eastern Kentucky is in second place at 6-2 while Middle Tennessee and Murray State are tied for third at 5-3. Tennessee-Martin is fifth at 4-4, with Austin Peay and Tennessee State tied for sixth at 4-5.

"I think finishing in the top four is very realistic," Arnzen said. "Tennessee Tech looks really good. They might be the best team in our league that I've seen in a while. But other than them, I think every team is vulnerable."

Morehead State, while winless in the OVC, has played several league teams close. And Arnzen realizes the Lady Eagles are capable of beating Southeast if the Otahkians don't put together a strong performance.

"Their record is bad, but they're not a bad ballclub," said Arnzen of the Lady Eagles. "They're certainly capable of beating us if we don't play well."