Redhawks make 12th attempt at first OVC win

History doesn't bode well for the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team as it prepares to face Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech.

Southeast will have to reverse a 103-76 rout it suffered on the Eagles' home court earlier this season if the Redhawks are to notch their first OVC win tonight.

The Redhawks (3-19, 0-11) carry an 11-game losing streak into the 7:45 p.m. contest against Tech (10-10, 4-6) at the Show Me Center.

"That was probably one of our worst outings this year," Southeast acting coach Zac Roman said of the Jan. 3 meeting in Cookeville, Tenn., that saw Tech shoot 56.9 percent from the field. "We've got a chance to kind of redeem ourselves.

"We've got to fight, find a way to win."

While the Redhawks are buried in the OVC basement and virtually have been eliminated from contention for a berth in the OVC tournament, Tech is trying to keep its head above water in the conference race.

Eight of the 10 OVC teams qualify for the tournament. Southeast sits five games on the loss side out of eighth place with seven OVC contests left.

Tech is tied for seventh place, but the Eagles are just one game ahead of ninth-place Jacksonville State.

When Tech destroyed Southeast earlier this month, Roman didn't think the Eagles would have to fight for a spot in the conference tournament.

"When we played them, I thought they were a top three team in the league," Roman said. "They've struggled some since then, but I think they're very talented."

The Eagles have one of the OVC's most talented big men.

Daniel Northern, a 6-foot-9 senior center, leads a balanced Tech offensive attack with 11.4 points per game.

Northern is third in the OVC in rebounding with a 7.5 average and leads the league in blocks at 2.6 per game.

Southeast also features one of the OVC's premier inside players in 6-9 junior center Calvin Williams, who ranks seventh in the OVC in scoring (16.8), second in rebounding (7.8) and second in blocks (1.9).

Williams had the better statistics in the first meeting, scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Northern had 17 points, seven boards and three blocks.

"Those are two of the top big men in the conference," Roman said. "It's a very good matchup."

Tech, which has lost five of its last seven games, also has two of the OVC's top 3-point shooters.

Junior guards Frank Davis and Will Barnes rank fourth and fifth in the league in 3-point accuracy at 43.8 percent and 43.1 percent, respectively.

They are also the Eagles' other double-figure scorers -- Barnes with a 10.9 average and Davis at 10.3.

The Eagles rank second in the conference in 3-point percentage at 38.7.

The Eagles have won 11 of the past 12 matchups against Southeast.