Russell puts on 'miraculous performace,' as SEMO MBB grabs impressive OVC W

With two key players absent from the lineup due to illness and injury, something that the Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball program refers to as “just another day,” the Redhawks did what they have always done this year in their game at Ohio Valley Conference power, Morehead State, which is playing really hard and score the ball with proficiency.

SEMO fought back from a double-digit deficit with 9:53 remaining on Saturday, to beat the Eagles 91-86.

The victory was the second straight for the Redhawks (9-10, 4-2 OVC) at Morehead, where the hosts have only lost five games in the past two-plus seasons.

“I don’t even know how to describe (the win),” third-year Redhawk coach Brad Korn said in a postgame interview on the radio. “There was just a lot of stuff going into it.”

For starters, SEMO has two guards in sophomore Phillip Russell and graduate student Chris Harris, who are as good as any in the OVC.

Russell matched a Redhawk mark at the NCAA Division I level with 37 points, while Harris banged in 23, and no three points were as critical as the 3-pointer he sank with less than one minute on the clock to give SEMO an 88-86 lead.

“We have great guard play,” Korn said.

Russell played 38 minutes and not only scored a ton but made 55 percent of his shots (11 of 20) and dished out six assists while turning it over just twice.

“Give Phil a lot of credit,” Korn said. “That was just a miraculous performance.”

No player in the NCAA Division I level this season has topped Russell’s 37-point outing.

The victory places SEMO in second place in the league with Tennessee Tech while trailing SIU Edwardsville, which the Redhawks beat, by one game.

The Redhawks have played four of their initial OVC games on the road and are a stunning 4-2, having won three straight now. SEMO also will enjoy three consecutive home games beginning Thursday against UT Martin (7 p.m., ESPN+).

“You come into a place like this,” Korn said of Morehead State, “and a team like this, and a program like this, that has won over the years, you just don’t show up and do that.”

SEMO was without junior forward Josh Earley and sophomore forward Kobe Clark, both of whom have an impactful presence in the paint and on the glass, which forced Korn to get really creative with his lineup.

Senior center Nate Johnson made every one of his five shots in 21 minutes of time, and finished with 10 points, while Korn also played 7-foot freshman walk-on Mason Hanback for an astonishing 13 minutes.

Hanback, who hadn’t seen more than mop-up duty in an NCAA Division I game this year, finished with four points and three blocks.

“He hadn’t played all season long,” Korn said, “but came in and gave us great minutes.”

SEMO is the best scoring team in the OVC, as well as the best shooting and passing team, as well. All of those things were evident, as the Redhawks made 58 percent of their shots and passed for 12 assists. However, defensively is where this game was won.

Morehead State (10-9, 3-3) made just one basket in the final 3:34 and scored just six points during the span.

The Redhawks are off to their best OVC start since SEMO opened league play in the 2011-12 season by winning five of its initial six games.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our kids,” Korn said. “Give all of the credit in the world to our kids, and the staff, and the way that they were able to persevere and get the job done on the road.

“It was a huge win.”

Junior guard Aquan Smart and senior guard Israel Barnes each added five rebounds in the win, while Harris had four.