Redhawks look for 10-0 home record in OVC

~ Southeast tries to avenge a road loss to Tennessee-Martin.

For the fourth time this season, Southeast Missouri State's women will have a chance to beat a team at home that they lost to on the road.

If the Redhawks can pull that off today, they will take another step toward their second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title.

Southeast (18-7, 13-4) and Tennessee-Martin (14-12, 9-9) square off at 5 p.m. at the Show Me Center. The Skyhawks beat the Redhawks 63-54 on Feb. 3 in Martin, Tenn.

"It would be another big win for us, if we could get it," Southeast acting head coach John Ishee said.

It would also complete a nice revenge run for the Redhawks, who earlier this season lost at Morehead State, Tennessee Tech and Austin Peay before returning the favor at home.

A victory today would also wrap up a 10-0 Show Me Center record in regular-season OVC play for the Redhawks, who have their final two conference games on the road, Thursday at Samford and Saturday at Jacksonville State.

The Redhawks and Murray State are tied for first in the OVC.

"It's a great race," Ishee said. "We've really protected our home court so far. Hopefully we can continue that [today], then we'll take our chances on the road the last two games."

Today will be senior day for the Redhawks, although they will have one more home game. Southeast will host a first-round OVC tournament contest on Feb. 27, as the top four finishers play at home for the opening round of the eight-team tournament.

Southeast has only two seniors, both junior college transfers who have been in the program for two years.

Center Lachelle Lyles is the nation's leading rebounder with an average of 17 per game. She also averages 8.5 points a contest and is fourth in the OVC with 29 blocked shots.

Joiceline Thesing, at 6-foot-6 the tallest player in the history of the program, has served as a backup the past two seasons. She is averaging just 3.6 points, but with 27 blocks ranks fifth in the OVC.

Lyles and Thesing will be honored prior to today's tipoff.

"Both of them have been a big part of the program the last two years, and of course Lachelle is just having a tremendous season," Ishee said. "It would be nice to give them a win on senior day."

While Southeast stands at the top of the OVC, UTM is in sixth place.

The Skyhawks have been nearly as good as Southeast at home -- going 8-1 in OVC play -- but on the road they are just 1-8.

Still, Ishee is wary of the team that dominated the Redhawks in the earlier meeting.

UTM never trailed or was tied in that contest. The Skyhawks led 27-15 at halftime and were never seriously challenged in the second half.

The Skyhawks outrebounded Southeat 41-37, becoming just one of two OVC teams to accomplish that feat. The Redhawks lead the league in rebounding margin, while UTM is second.

"They handed it to us pretty good that first game, and they present some problems for us," Ishee said. "I know they've struggled some on the road, but they'll be confident coming in here because of what they did to us last time."