Redhawks' rebuilding project shows signs of progress

Dickey Nutt's reclamation project with the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team hasn't been smooth and easy.

But the Redhawks, who have been scuffling along during Nutt's second season, gave their fans a glimpse of perhaps what's in store for the future with Wednesday's scintillating 64-57 home victory over Murray State.

Wins over the Ohio Valley Conference's premier program have been hard to come by for Southeast, which had lost eight straight to Murray and had not beaten the Racers in Cape Girardeau since the 2002-03 season.

Not that Southeast is ready to supplant the Racers as the OVC's top dog, but the victory should serve as a nice shot in the arm for a program that is trying to dig its way out of a black hole that includes NCAA probation.

And the win locked up Southeast's first OVC tournament berth since the 2006-07 campaign. That may not be a huge accomplishment but a nice stepping stone nonetheless.

The Redhawks were able to follow up on the upset of Murray by beating Sacramento State 67-52 in Saturday's BracketBusters game, their final home contest of the season.

That's the first BracketBusters win in six tries for Southeast, another solid accomplishment during the rebuilding process.

Now the Redhawks face their final two regular-season games -- tough OVC contests at Tennessee State and Austin Peay this week -- before they compete in next week's conference tournament.

Who knows, maybe a few more shots in the arm are in store this season before the Redhawks get ready for year three of the Nutt era.

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The OVC had a strong showing in the BracketBusters, going 6-4. Murray State, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State and Eastern Illinois joined Southeast with victories Saturday.

Morehead's 81-75 triumph at Indiana State featured a major milestone as senior forward Kenneth Faried broke Tim Duncan's modern-era NCAA Division I career rebounding record.

Faried grabbed 12 rebounds, giving him 1,576, six more than Duncan had for Wake Forest from 1994 through 1997.

The NCAA's modern era began after 1973, when freshmen were allowed to compete.

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The Southeast baseball team got its highly anticipated season started over the weekend with an impressive showing at defending Sun Belt Conference co-champion Louisiana-Lafayette.

Southeast won the first two games of the series before falling in Sunday's finale, outscoring the host squad by a combined 15-7.

The Redhawks didn't take the series from a lightweight. The Ragin' Cajuns have a terrific program, with numerous NCAA regional appearances and a berth in the 2000 College World Series.

Now the Redhawks have six straight home games beginning Tuesday against Harris-Stowe.

It should be a fun year at Capaha Field.

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Speaking of Southeast baseball, fans will see a different format for OVC regular-season play beginning next year.

The OVC announced last week that, starting in 2012, all OVC series will remain three games but will be played over three days (Friday through Sunday). Each game will be nine innings.

OVC series currently consist of the three games spread over two days, with a doubleheader Saturday and a single contest Sunday. The format features a seven-inning game as the nightcap of the Saturday doubleheader, which most OVC coaches do not like.

The change won unanimous approval by the OVC Board of Presidents at its meeting last week.

One big advantage to the new format is flexibility when weather becomes an issue.

Previously, when the Saturday doubleheader was rained out, the teams played a doubleheader on Sunday if possible and missed at least an entire game in the series. Should weather be a factor with the new schedule, teams could play a doubleheader on either Saturday or Sunday and avoid missing as many conference games.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan told me he absolutely loves the new format. So do I.

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Southeast will host its first annual Athletic Alumni Weekend April 15 through 17. All former Southeast athletes will have a chance to take part in various events while watching current Southeast athletes in action.

Among the events planned are the Joe Uhls Memorial Golf Tournament and a social gathering April 15; the annual Walk for Women's Athletics, a baseball doubleheader, a softball doubleheader, a spring football scrimmage and a picnic April 16; and a baseball game, a softball game and an event at Hunter Valley Winery April 17.

Additional events are being planned. Information is available at gosoutheast.com, where people can sign up.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.