OTAHKS TO FACE NATIONAL POWER LOUISIANA TECH

Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team will get to test itself early in the season against one of the nation's top squads.

The Otahkians face perennial national power Louisiana Tech in their fourth game of the season. That contest will take place Nov. 27 in the first round of the Nevada-Las Vegas Tournament.

Louisiana Tech, which qualified for last year's Final Four, has participated in 17 straight NCAA tournaments, made 13 Final Four appearances and won three national titles."They will be the third or fourth ranked team in the country when we play them," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen during Wednesday's Otahkian Media Day. "It will be a tall order."Southeast could also face an extremely rugged challenge in its other tournament, at Arkansas State.

The Otahkians open the season Nov. 19 against Mississippi Valley State in the Arkansas State tourney. A first-round win would set up a likely championship meeting with the host squad."Very few teams win in Jonesboro," Arnzen said. "Those are two extremely tough tournaments. I think getting splits in those two would be great."Southeast's first regular-season home game will be Nov. 23 vs. Missouri-Kansas City.n The Otahkians have four seniors, but only one point guard Moneik Campbell, a two-year starter has been with the program since her freshman year.

Arnzen praised the type of leader Campbell has been and she gladly accepts that role."I feel like I am a leader," said Campbell, who averaged 8.3 points per game and led the squad with 73 assists as a junior. "I try to set examples and try to keep the team in focus."

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Southeast posted the nation's fourth-best turnaround last season.

The Otahkians rebounded from an 8-19 record in 1997-98 to last year's 19-9 mark, which was their best-ever Division I season.

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Southeast's first win of the season will also be the 300th for Arnzen as the Otahkians' coach.

Arnzen has a 299-160 record as he begins his 17th season with the Otahkians.

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Junior center Annie Struve, who has been troubled by injuries throughout her Southeast career, is sidelined indefinitely by a dislocated finger she suffered in Monday's practice."Annie has really been bitten by the injury bug since she's been here," Arnzen said. "She played Sunday (in the exhibition game vs. St. Louis Goldstar) and then she gets hurt Monday."