Sharpe expects to play

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team continues its quest for a top-four Ohio Valley Conference finish on the road.

Southeast visits Eastern Kentucky in a 4:30 p.m. tipoff today in Richmond, Ky., then travels to Morehead State for Saturday's 1 p.m. contest in Morehead, Ky.

"It's a really big week for us," Southeast coach John Ishee said. "Every game is so important right now."

The Redhawks (12-11, 7-5) are sixth in the 10-team OVC, but are just one game on the loss side out of third place. The top four finishers earn home games for the first round of the eight-team conference tournament.

Southeast is coming off its most lopsided OVC loss of the season, Saturday's 73-53 decision at Eastern Illinois.

"It was a disappointing game for us," Ishee said.

Today's opponent, EKU (6-16, 3-10), is eighth in the OVC, just one game ahead of Jacksonville State in the battle for the final conference tournament berth.

The Colonels have lost eight straight, including a 71-54 setback at Southeast on Jan. 17.

EKU features one of the OVC's top freshmen in guard Kayla Drake, the league's No. 5 scorer with a 15.9 average. She had just five points in the earlier meeting with Southeast.

"They're playing at home and they need a win," Ishee said. "We'll get their best shot."

While EKU is struggling, Morehead State is the squad just ahead of Southeast in the conference standings.

The fifth-place Eagles (14-11, 8-5) lead the Redhawks by one-half game. MSU faces a tough matchup today against second-place Eastern Illinois.

MSU beat Southeast 74-68 on Jan. 15 at the Show Me Center. Another loss to the Eagles would give them the tie-breaker if the squads finish deadlocked in the standings.

"If we could get a sweep this week, it would be huge," said Ishee, noting that the two teams tied for third place -- Austin Peay and Tennessee State -- play each other Saturday, assuring one its fifth OVC loss. "A sweep would set us up for the rest of the season. But we have to get the first one before we can even start thinking about a sweep."

Southeast should receive a boost from the return of sophomore wing Lauren Sharpe, the OVC steals leader who missed the last two games with a sternum injury.

Ishee said he expects Sharpe to play today.