SOUTHEAST HOSTS MO. SOUTHERN; RESSEL TO START VS. FORMER NOTRE DAME TEAMMATE

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Missouri Southern coach Robert Corn can trace a 2-5 tailspin to an unlikely source - the free throw line.

"We've been having problems with our free throws ever since we went 13-of-27 in the game against Southeast Missouri (Jan. 16)," recalled Corn, whose squad will meet Southeast at the Show Me Center tonight at 7:30 p.m.

"Before that game we had been shooting free throws at 84 percent as a team," noted Corn, whose team will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak.

Missouri Southern, now 9-9 overall and 4-4 in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association, dropped a 78-71 non-conference contest to NAIA John Brown University Monday night.

Southern hit 69 percent of its free throws against John Brown. But John Brown sank 87 percent of its free throws.

"We were 9-of-13 at the line, but John Brown was 28-of-34," noted Corn. "Of John Brown's last 26 points, 24 came from the line.

"It seems like we're missing free throws during critical times in the game and that seems to be the difference between winning and losing," he said.

Plenty is on the line for Southeast and Missouri Southern. Both squads are very much in the hunt for one of eight MIAA post-season playoff berths. Southeast is tied for fifth place with Washburn and Southern is in seventh place.

The Indians, 14-5, 5-3, would like to gain one of the top four spots to secure a host bid.

"Southeast has a chance to be among the top four and we're just trying to make the playoffs," said Corn.

"What makes these games so tough from here on out is that everybody is jockeying for a playoff spot because two more teams get in this year."

Southeast defeated Missouri Southern 84-66 in the contest that took place at Joplin earlier in the season.

"Thomas Thames really had a good game against us and Danny Dohogne had a big three-point play that turned the game in their favor," noted Corn.

Thames scored 21 points and pulled down 14 rebounds against Southern. Dohogne scored 19 points and added 11 rebounds.

Dohogne leads the Indians offensively with an average of 17.5 points a game. Thames is second with 14.4 points and 10.1 boards.

"Dohogne is the kind of player who's smart and just seems to find a way to beat you," said Corn.

Thames is coming off one of his best games of the season, helping the Tribe defeat Missouri-Rolla 70-59 last Saturday.

"We simply can't ask any more out of Thames than what he's giving us right now," said Southeast coach Ron Shumate.

The Indian head coach is calling upon his seniors to lead the Indians into playoff prosperity.

"One of the keys for the rest of the season will be how our seniors respond," said Shumate.

All three seniors, Thames, Dohogne and Mike Lewis will be in the starting lineup tonight.

Missouri Southern's 6-foot-5 junior Kenny Simpson, who averages 21.4 points a game and a league-leading 10.4 rebounds, will be a key for the Lions.

So will former Notre Dame High standout Ronnie Ressel, who was a teammate of Dohogne's.

"Ronnie Ressel is going to start in Wednesday's game," said Corn. "He's been playing about 21 minutes a game anyway and he deserves this start."

Ressel may have earned his first start in a long while by virtue of his perfect free throw performance against John Brown. Ressel went four-for-four at the line and finished with six points. He also dished out five assists.