SE LAUNCHES DRIVE FOR NCAA TOURNEY; INDIANS OPEN OVC TOURNEY AT HOME AGAINST UT-MARTIN

Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner knows that what his team accomplished during the regular season is something that everybody associated with the program should be extremely proud of.

But Garner also knows that the Indians' regular-season success will basically be thrown out the window tonight, when the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament gets under way.

When the second-seeded, OVC regular-season co-champion Indians take on seventh-seeded Tennessee-Martin in a 7 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center, the teams will virtually be starting a new season -- the postseason.

"We've emphasized with our players that, as far as the OVC Tournament goes, it doesn't matter what you've done to this point," said Garner. "As far as the NCAA playoffs, it all matters what happens this week. The winner goes on and the loser goes home."

The Indians put together their best-ever regular season on the Division I level, going 21-6 overall and 14-4 in OVC play as they tied with Murray State for their first-ever league championship.

"It's a great accomplishment, but I told our players let's not be satisfied here," Garner said. "We've had two goals all year long. One goal was to win the conference championship, which we have. But the biggest goal of all is to make the NCAA playoffs."

To assure themselves of their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth on the Division I level, the Indians must win this week's conference tourney.

A victory tonight propels them into Saturday's semifinals in Nashville, Tenn., where they would take on the winner of sixth-seeded Middle Tennessee at third-seeded Tennessee Tech.

"We're really looking forward to this week," said Garner. "We feel we can win the tournament, but so do seven other teams.

"Everybody wants to get to Nashville and make the NCAA playoffs. If you don't get to Nashville, you can't make the NCAA playoffs."

UTM didn't fare nearly as well as Southeast this season, but the Skyhawks (10-18 overall, 7-11 OVC) have done relatively well under first-year coach Bret Campbell. Picked to finish last in the 10-team league, the Skyhawks placed seventh to make the eight-team tournament field for the first time.

"I think Bret has really done a good job," said Garner. "I don't think people expected them to make the tournament, but they"ve won some big games."

One of those big wins came over Southeast as the Skyhawks upset the Indians 75-66 on Jan. 13 in Martin, Tenn. Southeast returned the favor with an 80-68 triumph on Feb. 10 at the Show Me Center.

Campbell realizes how difficult a challenge his team faces tonight, but he's excited about the opportunity.

"We are pleased about getting into the tournament, but hopefully we're not satisfied just being there," he said. "SEMO is really playing well and they're an excellent team.

"We approach it as a one-game season and anything can happen in a one-game season. We're all shooting for the opportunity to go to Nashville. Stranger things have happened, but SEMO is definitely deserving of everything they've gotten this year."

Garner is wary of the Skyhawks' ability to crash the offensive boards, which was one of the keys to their earlier upset of the Indians. Even though UTM has been outrebounded overall by six on the season, the Skyhawks have grabbed 64 more offensive boards than the opposition.

"They're a good offensive rebounding team," he said. "When they beat us down there, they really kicked us on the offensive boards. They're not a big team, but they're relentless. We have to keep them off the offensive boards."

UTM's tallest starters stand only 6-feet-5. Byron Benton, a 6-5 junior center, leads the way offensively at 14 points per game. Another 6-5 player, junior forward Hayden Prescott, averages 11.3 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds.

Running the show for the Skyhawks is lightning-quick 5-9 sophomore point guard Andrae Betts, who averages 11.5 points. Betts has dished out 118 assists and he leads the OVC in steals with 71.

"Betts is awfully quick. He might be the quickest player in the league," Garner said. "We have to keep him from penetrating, because when that happens, people help out and then their players go to the boards."

Southeast is led by senior forward Roderick Johnson, who paces the Indians in scoring (13.9 ppg), rebounding (8.2), field-goal percentage (.619), blocked shots (37) and steals (37).

In OVC statistics, Johnson is second in field-goal percentage, third in blocked shots, third in rebounding and 13th in scoring.

Junior point guard Michael Stokes, Southeast's second-leading scorer (12.6 ppg), has been on fire recently from long range as he has hit 18-for-27 on 3-pointers over the last six games. Stokes has taken over the team lead in 3-point shooting at .429, including .476 in OVC play.

The Indians' other double-figure scorer is senior forward Mike Branson (11.9 ppg), who is second on the squad in 3-point shooting at .400.

As a team, Southeast continues to lead the OVC in scoring defense (61.4 ppg), field-goal percentage defense (.381) and 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.298).

"They're taking such pride in their defense," said Garner. "This is really a basketball family and I'm so proud of that."