Otahks try to resume winning ways at EIU

Southeast attempts to bounce back from second OVC loss.

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian

Coming off Saturday's disappointing loss at first-place Austin Peay, Southeast Missouri State University's women will look to get back on the winning track and remain squarely in the Ohio Valley Conference championship hunt today.

The Otahkians, 10-6 overall, are a third-place 4-2 in the OVC. Eastern Illinois, which Southeast plays at 5:15 p.m. today in Charleston, Ill., is 3-14 overall and a sixth-place 2-4 in the nine-team conference.

"It was disappointing that we didn't play better at Austin Peay," Southeast coach B.J. Smith said of the 58-45 setback. "But we're trying not to change a lot of things. We're just going to try and improve the things we like to do.

"We're just not executing good enough right now. That's something we have to get better at."

The OVC race tightened up at the top following Eastern Kentucky's upset loss at Tennessee-Martin Monday night. That leaves the second-place Colonels at 6-1 while Austin Peay is 6-0.

"That shows you how tough it is when you go on the road," Smith said. "Nobody is just going to roll over for you. They work and practice just like you do."

A result like that should help the Otahkians focus on Eastern Illinois even more. Although the Panthers' record is not impressive, they gave Southeast a decent battle before losing 74-59 on Jan. 4 at the Show Me Center.

"They gave us a pretty good game last time and they're playing better than they were then," Smith said. "They've got good big kids and a good guard. They're a good, solid team. If you don't show up, they'll beat you."

Southeast being able to force Eastern Illinois into an up-tempo style will be to the Otahkians' advantage, Smith said.

"They want to slow it down and make it a half-court game. Like always, we want to push the tempo," he said.

EIU is led offensively by junior guard Lauren Dailey, who averages 12.8 points per game. Senior center Brooke Gossett is next at 10.2 points per contest.

Southeast has four double-figure scorers in junior guard Kenja White (14.3 ppg), senior forward Lori Chase (13 ppg), junior forward Carina Souza (11.3 ppg) and junior forward Yashika Sidbury (10.8 ppg).

"This is a game we need to win if we want to have a chance to win the conference," Smith said.

Following today's contest, the Otahkians will face Tennessee Tech at the Show Me Center Saturday, the start of a four-game Southeast homestand.