SEMO fans show up in a big way in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio - Over the two-day stretch in Dayton, Ohio, you wouldn’t have a hard time seeing fan support for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.

That was true as Redhawk fans and alumni met Tuesday afternoon at Warped Wing Brewing Company in Dayton to get set for the First Four matchup.

When the game began on Tuesday evening, it was no different. The noise and energy from the SEMO faithful could be felt.

Redhawks fan John Spear has been attending SEMO sporting events since his childhood.

“My mother worked for the university at Kent Library, and so we just went to every event possible,” Spear said. “It was just in my soul from then on.”

Despite the fact the Redhawks fell to the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders 75-71 on Tuesday in the NCAA First Four, Spear still feels the season is a success.

“Coach Korn and his staff have created something that we will be able to see and will last a long time,” Spear said.

Fellow fan and SEMO alum Ross McFerron echoed Spear’s sentiment on the 2022-23 season.

“I’m extremely proud of this program and this team,” McFerron said. “To me, they do it the right way. The way the players treated the kids after the watch party the other day, the way they engage the community and do community service is great.”

SEMO fans and alumni gather before Tuesday's First Four game in Dayton, Ohio at Warped Wing Brewing Company. Southeast Missouri State University Alumni Association Facebook page

SEMO fan Tyler Myers said he would travel anywhere to see the Redhawks play.

“With all of the sacrifices they make, they deserve fans that care,” Myers said. “We care about this team, the players and the coaches. We’d travel anywhere between New York and California to see these guys perform.”

Following Tuesday’s loss, Phillip Russell and Chris Harris showed their appreciation for the fans who have supported them all season long.

“They gave us a boost,” Russell said. “We needed them here, and I felt like if they weren’t here it was going to be hard for us to create anything. So I want to give a special shoutout to them.”

“The fan base we have is awesome,” Harris added. “Like Phil said, huge shoutout to our fan base, we appreciate you guys coming.”

Redhawks coach Brad Korn had high praise for the Southeast fans who traveled to Dayton.

“It’s not easy, because you’re playing on a Tuesday night and people’s time and money are very important,” Korn said. ‘For them to sacrifice that to come see us play in the NCAA Tournament shows what the heartbeat of our program and fan base can be.”