Redhawks try to build off win at EKU

~ Southeast, after endinga six-game losing streak, plays at home forthe first time since Dec. 19.

For the first time in a month, Southeast Missouri State's players and coaches were able to exhibit unbridled jubilation after a game.

That's what a win will do for a basketball team -- especially an Ohio Valley Conference road victory for a squad that had endured a six-game losing streak.

But Southeast hopes the celebration that accompanied Tuesday's impressive 88-74 triumph at Eastern Kentucky is not simply a one-shot deal.

The Redhawks know the key now is to build on that performance, starting tonight when Eastern Illinois visits the Show Me Center for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

Southeast (4-11, 2-4 OVC) will shoot for a second consecutive win today against the last-place Panthers (5-10, 1-5). The Redhawks have moved up to seventh place in the 11-team conference.

"I think this will carry over into the rest of the year for us," Southeast senior guard Terrick Willoughby said following Tuesday's game. "But we have to follow up on it against Eastern Illinois, who we know will also be a very tough team.

"If we come back home and lose, then this win doesn't mean as much."

Southeast coach Scott Edgar probably couldn't have said it better.

As the Redhawks prepared for the six-hour-plus bus ride back to Cape Girardeau, Edgar was already looking ahead to the Panthers.

"We have to enjoy this, but we have to go home and get ready for a short turnaround," Edgar said. "Fortunately we're on [semester] break, so the players can sleep a lot and not have to worry about classes.

"It's good we were able to get some momentum on the road and hopefully carry it home before we have to go out on the road again."

After tonight's game, the Redhawks have two OVC road contests next week, against Murray State on Monday and Austin Peay on Jan. 13.

But all eyes tonight will be on the Panthers, who started OVC play with a major upset win at Tennessee Tech but have since dropped five consecutive conference games.

The Panthers have struggled offensively, averaging an OVC-worst 59.9 points per game, but they feature one of the league's top young backcourts.

Romain Martin, a 6-foot-3 freshman guard, is the OVC's eighth-leading scorer at 14.4 points per game. In conference play, Martin ranks second with a 19.5 scoring average.

Martin has scored in double figures in 10 straight games. He is shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range.

Sophomore point guard Mike Robinson, last season's OVC freshman of the year, averages 10.5 points per game.

"They already have a good road win over Tennessee Tech, which is as good as any team in the OVC," Edgar said. "That shows you what they're capable of. There is no easy game in the OVC this year."

Southeast showed that to Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday night. The Redhawks entered play tied for last in the conference while the Colonels were third.

But the Redhawks outscored the Colonels 56-33 in the second half to run away with the victory, after they had lost three of their previous four OVC games by a total of seven points, including two on last-second shots.

"We were just tired of losing," Southeast freshman point guard Roderick Pearson said.

Southeast scored a season-high 88 points and hit a season-high 13 3-pointers, in 22 attempts, for a sizzling 59.1 percent.

The Redhawks came into the game as statistically one of the OVC's worst-shooting teams but excelled against the Colonels, making 49.2 percent from the field overall and 81 percent from the free throw line.

In the second half, Southeast shot 59.3 percent from the floor.

"We made shots. When you make shots, everything is better," Edgar said.

Southeast's defense was also effective, holding the normally hot-shooting Colonels down in the second half. The Redhawks scored 30 points off 17 Eastern Kentucky turnovers.

In addition, the Redhawks outrebounded an opponent for only the second time this year as they won the battle of the boards 36-29.

Pearson had career highs in points (22), assists (11) and steals (five) to post his first double-double as a college player.

Since moving into the starting lineup five games ago after Paul Paradoski suffered a knee injury, Pearson is averaging 12.4 points. He also has 20 assists and 8 steals, while hitting seven of 15 3-pointers.

In the three OVC games Pearson has started, he's averaging 15 points to go along with 17 assists and 6 steals, while committing just four turnovers. He has made seven of 12 from 3-point range in those contests.

"Rod is just playing fabulous for us," Edgar said.

Most of the Redhawks played fabulous in the second half at Eastern Kentucky, and they hope to continue that long-awaited trend tonight.

"We have to build on that game," Willoughby said. "We can't take a step back."