Redhawks try to start new year on right foot

~ Southeast returns to OVC play Monday at home against Eastern Kentucky.

With Southeast Missouri State struggling so much in Ohio Valley Conference road games so far, it becomes even more important for the Redhawks to make noise at home.

And, considering that Southeast's early-season conference schedule is road-heavy, that places added emphasis on Monday's televised matchup with Eastern Kentucky at the Show Me Center.

The Redhawks (4-6, 1-4 OVC) and defending OVC Tournament champion Colonels (5-6, 2-2) square off at 6 p.m. The contest will be shown nationally on ESPNU, and locally on WQWQ (Channel 33).

"Every conference game is important," Southeast coach Gary Garner said. "But this really is one we need to get."

Southeast has played three of its first five conference games on the road, losing every one by at least 10 points, as the Redhawks have fallen into 10th place among 11 teams.

Following Monday's contest, the Redhawks play four of their next five OVC games away from home, making it seven of their opening 11 league tests in unfriendly confines.

The Redhawks play six of their final nine conference games at the Show Me Center, which would seem advantageous -- as long as Southeast can avoid being buried in the OVC race before the halfway point.

"We've still got a lot of games left, so it's not time to panic," said senior guard Roy Booker, who leads the Redhawks in scoring at 20.5 points per game. "But we need to start getting some wins. We have to get this one at home."

EKU, after a slow start, appears to be flashing the form that made it one of the OVC's anticipated top teams entering the season.

The Colonels set a school record for wins last year, going 22-9 and capturing the OVC tournament title to earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 1979.

With three starters returning, EKU was picked second in this year's preseason OVC poll.

EKU, under first-year coach Jeff Neubaurer -- a former West Virginia assistant who took over the program after Travis Ford left for Massachusetts -- lost its first two conference games decisively, by 29 points at Murray State and 16 points at Austin Peay.

But the Colonels have since recovered, evening their OVC record by posting home victories against Eastern Illinois and Tennessee-Martin. EKU will carry a three-game winning streak into tonight's matchup.

"Going into the season, everybody thought they would be one of the main contenders for the conference championship, and it looks like they're playing that way right now," Garner said.

Senior guard Matt Witt, a preseason first team all-OVC pick, led the Colonels in scoring the past two seasons, and he is currently second at 15.8 points per game. Witt recently became EKU's career leader in 3-point field goals with 211.

Senior guard Jason McLeish leads EKU with 16.3 points per game, while 6-foot-9 senior forward Alonzo Hird is one of the OVC's better inside defenders. He also averages close to 10 points.

"Witt has been a very good player for them, and they've got some size inside with Hird and [6-8 sophomore] Darnell Dialls," Garner said. "They'll be a difficult team to beat."