REVVED ENGINES: INDIAN SENIORS EAGER TO FACE RACERS IN FINAL HOME GAME

Calvert White might be playing his final home game in a Southeast Missouri State University uniform tonight.

He couldn't think of a better opponent to face in his last regular-season contest at the Show Me Center than Murray State's high-flying Racers, who lead the Ohio Valley Conference and have been the league's dominant team over the past decade.

"I've said all along that Murray State is the team I wanted to play the most," said a grinning White following Thursday's 87-61 romp past Tennessee-Martin. "They're the best in the league and it would be great for us to knock them off."

White is one of four seniors on Southeast's basketball team, although injured center Bud Eley will return for a final season next year as long as he graduates by the end of the summer, which he is on schedule to do. In that case, Eley will regain the year of eligibility he lost while sitting out during his freshman season as a Proposition 48 athlete.

An athletic, razor-thin 6-foot-4 forward who handles the ball like a guard, White has thrilled Southeast fans the last two years with his exciting open-court play and rim-rattling dunks.

Last year, in his first season with the Indians after transferring from Southeastern Illinois Community College, White was a member of the OVC all-newcomer team as he averaged 13 points and five rebounds per game.

This season, despite something of a slow start, the native of the Virgin Islands is averaging 10.3 points and six rebounds per game. He has the most rebounds on the team with 143 and the second-most assists on the squad with 89.

White has really picked up his game in recent weeks as he and point guard Kahn Cotton have taken turns befuddling opposing defenses with their slashing drives to the basket.

"Calvert has really come on the past few weeks," said Southeast coach Gary Garner. "He is just a talented athlete who really makes things happen. He can handle the ball and penetrate, and lately he's really been able to hit the 3-pointer. He's just playing very well and we're really going to miss him next year."

White, a sports medicine major, said he'll probably feel a bit emotional tonight when he steps on to the Show Me Center court for what could be the final time, although the Indians still have a shot at hosting a first-round OVC Tournament game.

"I think it will be (an emotional night)," he said. "But I'll try to have my best game of the season."

The way the Indians have been playing in recent weeks -- they've won five of their last six games and are now 13-11 overall -- has made White's senior season all that much more enjoyable.

"I've enjoyed it (his two years at Southeast)," said the good-natured White. "And finishing up strong, after we started off kind of slow and lost a lot of close games, has really made this last year good."

Two other seniors who will be playing their final regular-season home games tonight -- Travis Smith and Lakeo Keller -- have not met with nearly as much success as White but Garner said they have been valuable players nonetheless.

Smith, a 6-7 forward, has primarily been a spot player off the bench in his four seasons with the Indians. He's made only two starts and has averaged less than two points for his career, but he has had some impressive games this year, including getting eight rebounds during a near-upset of Missouri.

"Travis has been with the program four years and played in 98 games, which is impressive in itself," Garner said. "He's a great kid who has stayed with the program and worked hard despite not seeing a lot of playing time. And he's had some big games for us this year. He had a great game at Missouri."

Smith, who is majoring in secondary education, has been a model student-athlete. He's the president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Southeast in addition to being a Southeast scholar-athlete and on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Keller, a 5-10 guard who joined the Indians last year as a highly- touted junior-college transfer, has had an injury-plagued career at Southeast.

Last year he missed much of the season with a foot injury but still averaged 6.6 points per game and had a career-high 19 points against Murray State.

This season Keller has been slowed by knee problems after having arthroscopic surgery. The communications major, a former Louisiana high school player of the year, is averaging just 1.6 points per game in limited action.

"Lakeo has been hampered all year by the knee problems but he's still been a valuable player off the bench," Garner said.