OVC POWERHOUSE VISITS 2-OTAHKS

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen was hoping to enter tonight's game against Ohio Valley Conference power Tennessee Tech with at least one league victory.

But the Otahkians gave Arnzen a special present Saturday when they completed a perfect road trip to open the conference season by upsetting Austin Peay 87-80.

So the Otahkians will carry a 2-0 OVC record -- and plenty of momentum -- into an early conference showdown against Tennessee Tech, another 2-0 league squad. The tipoff will be at 7 p.m. at the Show Me Center.

"I think it will be a great basketball game, I really do," said Arnzen. "I know they'll be a good club coming in, but I know we won't back down."

Arnzen realizes just how huge a challenge his squad will be facing tonight. Tech, which is 9-4 overall despite playing a highly competitive non-league schedule, has been the OVC's dominant team over the years, winning its 13th regular-season title last season (the Golden Eaglettes also captured the conference tournament crown).

"No doubt, Tech is the premier club in the league. They have been for a long time and still are," Arnzen said. "They played a quality non-conference schedule and did well, winning at Mississippi and at Memphis. They are expected to win our league and they evidently are playing awfully well."

What makes the Eaglettes particularly tough, according to Arnzen, is the fact they not only have the OVC's premier player in Janet Holt but also several very good guards.

Holt, a 6-foot junior center, earned OVC Player of the Year honors as a sophomore when she averaged more than 17 points per game. She is picked to repeat that award this season and is off to an impressive start, leading the OVC in scoring with nearly 23 points per game. She is also second in the league in rebounding at almost nine a contest.

"Holt is probably as good as anybody in the league, but they have three good guards that can shoot the basketball and that keeps you from doubling up Holt," said Arnzen.

Allison Clark, Rachael Gobble and Andrea Brown are all averaging from 10 to 12 points per game and shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range as the Eaglettes lead the OVC in 3-point shooting at better than 40 percent.

But, even with all the weapons Tech appears to possess, Arnzen believes the Otahkians will have a chance to pull off the upset because of what happened during their two-game road trip last week, which included an 82-80 win over Tennessee State.

"We went on the road hoping to get a split but we won two and we should have some confidence now after doing that," said Arnzen, whose team is 7-5 overall. "I think we've gained some credibility now with ourselves and the rest of the league."

The Otahkians, who lead the OVC in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense, got huge games during Saturday's win over Austin Peay from guards Veronica Benson and Christine Rathke, who each scored 20 points.

Rathke, a freshman who comes off the bench, has been particularly impressive in the past two games, scoring a total of 34 points and reaching a career high in both contests.

"She's really come on," said Arnzen of Rathke. "It was a great trip for her."

And Arnzen is hoping tonight will be a great night for the Otahkians, who can definitely -- if they haven't already -- open plenty of eyes around the OVC by beating Tech. The coach knows how much a good crowd would mean to his team and he's making a plea to all Southeast fans, since there will be no men's game tonight.

"I can't emphasize enough just how much a good, loud crowd getting behind us would mean to our players," Arnzen said. "The men aren't playing, but I'd like to see as many of their fans come out and support us. I would love for all Southeast basketball fans to be at the game."