Redhawks host Bulls in nonconference finale

~ Southeast hits the road for four of its next five games after today.

After enjoying an eight-day hiatus, the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team returns to action today at the Show Me Center.

"You're always concerned after you're playing well, then we haven't played since the [Dec.] 20th," Southeast coach John Ishee said. "You just don't know what you're going to get. Then with a noon start, there's a lot of different challenges that you're trying to balance. But it gets down to we're at home, we have to defend our own turf."

The Redhawks (7-5) welcome in the University at Buffalo, who they defeated 61-50 last year in Buffalo, N.Y. Tipoff is scheduled for noon.

Southeast won its last three games before its Christmas break, including the last two games on the road. It plays four of its next five games on the road after today's matchup.

"We have six of our seven conference games on the roads, starting with those last two that we were fortunate enough to win," Ishee said. "Then we get this one home, then we have to go to EIU, that leads the league. Then we turn around and get one conference game at home against Murray, then we're on the road again. Any time at home is huge."

Guard Stephanie Bennett leads the Bulls (6-5), averaging 12.5 points per game while forward Heather Turner adds 10.9. But it's point guard Ashley Zuber that worries Ishee.

"Seriously, they scare me to death because last year when we beat them up there, they played Bennett at point guard, who plays the 2 guard [this season]," Ishee said. "Now they're starting a little left-handed kid named Zuber. On tape, she's tough as nails. She pushes it, she makes good decisions with the ball, you can't press her because she handles it."

Zuber averages 9.4 points and has 36 turnovers to 51 assists this season.

While the Bulls enter on a two-game losing streak after dropping games to Jacksonville and Massachusetts, the Redhawks hope to build on their three-game winning streak.

"It's one game, but you look at it like, OK, it's a whole lot of difference in saying we're 7-6 or we're 8-5," Ishee said. "It's kind of like multiplication. It's a big game."

Sonya Daugherty and Missy Whitney lead the Redhawks' offensive attack. Daugherty averages 16 points while Whitney adds 11.9 per game. But Ishee is worried his offense could struggle against the Bulls' defense.

"They play a wide matchup zone that's a lot like Northern Colorado that beat us out at New Mexico State," Ishee said. "They present different challenges for us that we haven't seen in about a month."