OTAHKS SEE OVC TOURNEY DREAMS GROW BLEAK 85-67

Time continued to run out on Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team Saturday.

The Otahkians, trying desperately to rally for a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, suffered their third straight loss as Tennessee Tech claimed an 85-67 victory at the Show Me Center.

Southeast is now 5-18 overall and 3-12 in OVC play while Tennessee Tech improved to 13-10 overall and a third-place 10-5 in the league.

The Otahkians are in last place in the 10-team OVC. Only the top eight squads in the final regular-season standings qualify for the conference tourney, meaning Southeast must pass at least two teams to make the field.

Considering that only three regular-season games remain and the Otahkians are still two games out of eighth place, it's no wonder Southeast coach Ed Arnzen was looking glum following Saturday's loss.

"It doesn't look good for us," said Arnzen. "But whenever there is a scoreboard, you have to have enough pride to try and do your best. What we do the next three games, we can use as a springboard for next year."

Southeast had all kinds of problems with two Tech players: 6-foot-2 freshman Diane Seng and 5-11 sophomore Amber Clark. Seng hit 11 of 13 shots and scored 31 points. Clark added 23 points.

"They lobbed into Seng a lot and we didn't get defensive pressure on the passer," said Arnzen. "Clark was allowed to do what she wanted to do."

Jamie Koester and Kim Palmer both scored 19 points to lead the Otahkians.

Southeast fell behind 7-0 in the game's opening moments and the Otahkians later trailed 11-1.

But to the Otahkians' credit, they stormed back, finally tying things at 17-17 on ChyAnne Kapitzke's basket midway through the first half.

The Otahkians took their first lead of the evening, 19-17, on Koester's steal and layup.

Southeast, after falling behind briefly, regained the lead at 27-26. But Tech used a 7-0 run to go ahead 33-27 and the Eaglettes led 39-35 at halftime.

After Southeast pulled to within 39-37 to start the second half, Tech opened up a 48-41 lead. The Otahkians cut it to 50-48, but the Eaglettes used a 9-1 run to open up a 59-49 advantage.

The Otahkians never recovered from that burst as the Eaglettes had control the rest of the way.

Tech's opened up a 72-56 lead and the Otahkians could get no closer than nine points. The final margin was Tech's biggest lead of the game.

"I thought we played well for a half," Arnzen said. "But in the second half I thought we relaxed our defensive intensity."

Southeast will play its final home game Monday when Middle Tennessee State comes to the Show Me Center for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff. That contest will mark the final home appearance for Otahkian seniors Palmer and Dawn Massani.

"It will be Senior Night Monday and it would be nice for our two seniors to go out with a victory," said Arnzen.

The Otahkians will have their final two regular-season games on the road, against Tennessee-Martin Thursday and Eastern Illinois the following Saturday.