OTAHKS STRIVE TO FORGET OT LOSS

Despite Tuesday's stunning overtime loss to Ohio Valley Conference power Tennessee Tech, Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team still has a chance for a successful homestand that would keep the Otahkians near the top of the OVC standings.

The first order of business for coach Ed Arnzen's squad is to regroup for today's game against Murray State. The tipoff will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center.

"Our test will be, can we come back against Murray State," said Arnzen, whose squad will host another OVC foe, Tennessee-Martin, Saturday night. "The Tennessee Tech game is over. We have to forget about it."

That might be easier said than done because of the way the contest ended. Southeast had a 13-point lead late in the second half before Tech rallied to force overtime.

Then, in the extra period, the Otahkians went ahead 79-78 on two Veronica Benson free throws with 3.5 seconds left. But Tech drove the length of the court to score just before the final buzzer, shocking Southeast 80-79 and handing the Otahkians their first OVC loss of the season.

Southeast will carry a 7-6 overall record and a 2-1 conference mark into today's game.

Murray State is just 3-11 overall and 1-2 in the OVC despite being picked fourth in the league's preseason poll, one spot ahead of Southeast.

"They were picked high and they've got most of their players back (from last season)," Arnzen said. "I don't know why they've been struggling, but they've got a good basketball team and they'll come ready to play."

The Lady Racers have one of the OVC's top players in 6-foot senior forward Monika Gadson, who is fifth in the league in scoring at 15.8 points per game and first in rebounding at 10.4 a contest.

"She's one of the better players in the conference," said Arnzen. "She will be extremely tough to stop inside."

But no other Murray State player is averaging in double figures, which helps explain why the Lady Racers are last in the league in scoring (60.8 points per game). They also bring up the rear of the conference in both field-goal percentage (.373) and 3-point percentage (.244).