Redhawks try to fix problems at home

~ Southeast has lost its last three games at the Show Me Center.

Morehead State still is having a solid bounce-back season, but the Eagles are no longer the surprise darlings of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Southeast Missouri State hopes to continue the Eagles' struggles tonight -- while also putting an end to its problems at home.

The Redhawks (9-15, 7-8) and Eagles (10-12, 6-8) square off at 7:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Southeast is in sixth place in the 11-team OVC, while Morehead is seventh. The top eight teams qualify for the OVC postseason tournament.

"They're like us, still fighting to get in the conference tournament and trying to get as high as a seed as possible," Southeast coach Scott Edgar said.

For most of the first half of the OVC schedule, Morehead was considered the conference's biggest surprise.

After finishing last in the league a year ago and being picked in the conference's preseason poll to repeat that spot, the Eagles bolted out to a 6-2 OVC start, which had them in third place.

But since then, Morehead has suffered six consecutive losses, including a 61-59 home defeat to the Redhawks on Jan. 24 as junior center Mike Rembert scored on a follow shot with 1.4 seconds left.

Still, Morehead has already posted twice as many wins overall and in OVC play compared to last year, when the Eagles went 4-23 and 3-17.

"Like all teams, they hit periods of momentum," Edgar said. "A lot of it is who you're playing, how hot the teams are."

Southeast's overall and conference records are also improved from last season, when the Redhawks went 7-20 and a 10th-place 4-16.

But the Redhawks have not fared well at the Show Me Center, losing three straight OVC games on their own court. Southeast is just 3-5 in conference home contests, compared to 4-3 on the road.

"One thing you don't want to happen, and it's starting to creep in, is that people [opponents] come into the Show Me Center expecting to win," Edgar said. "If you're going to build a championship team, you have to establish yourself at home.

"I never want to lose another game at the Show Me Center."

Morehead, which has nobody taller than 6-foot-6 getting significant playing time, is led offensively by its largest player.

Shaun Williams, a 6-6 senior forward, is averaging 12.2 points per game, just ahead of 6-4 senior forward Quentin Pryor's 11.6 average.

Pryor ranks third in the OVC in 3-point shooting at 41.2 percent, having made 40 of 97.

Williams scored a team-high 16 points in the earlier meeting against the Redhawks.

"They're not one of the bigger teams in the league, but they're one of the fastest and one of the scrappiest," Edgar said. "They have good players. Shaun Williams can score and they have two of the better 3-point shooters."

One of those is freshman guard Maze Stallworth, who is hitting 38.4 percent.

"We had a hard-fought game with them last time," Edgar added, "and it will be a very challenging game. We'll have to play very well to win."

Rembert had 18 points and seven rebounds in that first matchup despite not starting because of a foot injury.

Rembert is one of three players averaging in double figures for the Redhawks. Junior forward Brandon Foust leads the way at 12.2 points per game, followed by junior guard David Johnson (11.2) and Rembert (10.3).

Southeast senior guard Terrick Willoughby is the OVC's second-ranked 3-pointer shooter at 41.3 percent (33 of 80). Willoughby hit the game-winning basket from 3-point range during Southeast's most recent outing, Saturday's 73-69 victory at Martin.