OVC BASKETBALL RACE LIKELY TO GO DOWN TO VERY LAST DAY

There doesn't appear to be any doubt that none of the top few positions in the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball race will be decided until after Saturday's final games of the regular season.

Which will continue to make things extremely exciting for fans -- but extremely tough on coaches.

"I'm sure the fans are loving it," said Southeast Missouri State University coach Ron Shumate with a laugh. "But it's tough on us coaches."

With just two games left in the regular season, Shumate's Indians are still very much in the hunt for a high OVC finish and a home game in the first round of the conference's post-season tournament.

The top eight squads in the final regular-season standings of the 10-team league (Tennessee-Martin is ineligible) qualify for the league tournament. The Indians, after being ineligible for the OVC tourney during their first five years in the league, are assured of a spot this season.

"It's nice to finally be back in post-season play," said Shumate.

But the Indians aren't content with simply being in the tournament. They want a first-round home game that goes to each of the top four finishers.

And Southeast is very much in the thick of that race. The Indians (12-15 overall, 9-7 OVC) are in sole possession of fifth place, just one-half game behind Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech, who are tied for third at 10-7.

Murray State is second at 11-6 while Austin Peay leads the league at 11-5.

Eastern Illinois is in sixth place at 8-8, Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee State are tied for seventh at 7-9, Eastern Kentucky is ninth at 5-12 and Morehead State is last at 4-12.

"It's still a very tight situation all the way through," Shumate said. "If we win our last two games, we'll have an excellent chance to host a first-round (tournament) game."

The Indians, who notched two huge home victories in recent days -- beating Middle Tennessee State 85-76 Monday night and Tennessee Tech 78-65 Saturday night -- will close out the regular season with two road games.

Southeast visits Tennessee-Martin Thursday night for a 7:45 tipoff, then will be in Charleston, Ill., Saturday for a 2 p.m. tipoff with Eastern Illinois.

"Those are going to be two extremely difficult challenges for us," said Shumate. "Martin is playing really well and they always get sky high for us. Eastern Illinois beat us at our place earlier in the season."

First-round OVC Tournament games will be played Tuesday. Those winners advance to Nashville, Tenn., for the tourney semifinals on Friday, Feb. 28, at the new Nashville Arena. The championship game will be nationally televised by ESPN on Saturday, March 1, with the winner earning an NCAA Tournament berth.

* Center Bud Eley continues to post big-time numbers for the Indians.

The 6-foot-10 junior leads the team in scoring (17.8 ppg), rebounding (10.3 rpg) and blocked shots (35).

Eley ranks third in the OVC in scoring, second in rebounding, fourth in field-goal percentage (.534) and fifth in blocks (1.3 per game).

* While point guard Allen Hatchett returned from tendinitis in his knees to put together two impressive games during the recent homestand, Southeast's other point guard remains hobbled.

Lakeo Keller has missed the last two games with a chipped bone in his foot, an injury that forced him to miss nine games earlier in the season. He is doubtful for Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Hatchett has averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists the past two games running the point exclusively.

* Forward David Montgomery has posted impressive numbers in his last three games as he has returned to the starting lineup.

The 6-8 sophomore has averaging 13 points and eight rebounds over the past three games.

* If Southeast is ahead at halftime, then Tribe fans should be feeling pretty good because the Indians are 10-0 when leading at the break.

* Southeast's next opponent, Tennessee-Martin, has been on a roll, winning three straight games.

The Skyhawks have improved to 10-15 overall.

* Among the key games Thursday that will impact where the Indians wind up in the OVC standings are Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay and Eastern Illinois at Murray State.

If Austin Peay beats Tennessee Tech, then the Indians can clinch a first-round home tournament game if they win their final two contests.