Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team looking for momentum heading into OVC play

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team will have its final tuneup today before hitting the road for Nashville to begin Ohio Valley Conference play against Belmont on Thursday and Tennessee State on Saturday.

The Redhawks (6-6) host NAIA William Woods at 11 a.m. at the Show Me Center to conclude their non-conference schedule.

"We talked about this morning after we watched film, and what I want to get out of our basketball team is just get another step of being a little bit sharper on the offensive end," Margenthaler said of his goals for the game. "And the one thing on the defensive end that I noticed in the Illinois-Springfield game, especially in the first half that we did not do, is ball pressure. We need to be able to pressure the basketball stronger, especially when we go against maybe a little bit better opponent. I definitely want to see, on the defensive end, our intensity for the 40-minute game. I thought we played [with intensity] about 20 minutes the last game. I thought the second half was really good, but the first half we came out a little lackluster."

Margenthaler's pleased with how his team has consistently taken care of the basketball over its last few games, but wants his players to use today's contest to work on the little things that it'll take to get better shots.

"But going back and watching film, just some of our screening -- when we run a set play we're just not all there on the same page," Margenthaler said. "We're missing a few things that could maybe get us a better shot."

Southeast has won four of its last five games, and is coming off a 73-56 defeat of Division II Illinois-Springfield on Dec. 21. The Redhawks had four days off for Christmas following that win, and haven't responded as well as Margenthaler hoped they would.

"It hasn't been as sharp as I'd like, to be honest with you," Margenthaler said. "It's been a little frustrating getting them back. I only gave them four days off, but we do have to get our mindset back. As a coach, when you are playing pretty well and you are in pretty good shape, you don't want that break, but we needed it. We've got to do a better job getting our guys back because we've had a couple tough practices."

Margenthaler said the Owls (8-3) are similar to Illinois-Springfield.

William Woods is led in scoring by forward Nia Lateju with 12.5 ppg.

Guard Blake French averages 11.7 points and forward Kennedy Volkhart averages 9.5 and 6.0 rebounds. Poplar Bluff graduate and junior guard Marissa Webb averages 8.2 ppg and is a 44.7 percent 3-point shooter, connecting on 17 of 38 attempts.

"I think they're a little more athletic, and they do a good job of driving. They do a little high-low, but again the game's going to be a little more about us, and execution and doing what we need to do to," Margenthaler said. " *... Hopefully we can just have a good, solid performance because we know what's ahead of us is going to be very tough."

Southeast and William Woods has one common opponent in Missouri Valley College. The Redhawks won an exhibition game against MVC 81-68. The Owls defeated MVC 81-69 in its season opener.

With a win the Redhawks would improve to 7-6 and would enter conference action with a winning record for the first time since 2008.

"For the first time I really brought it up to our team this morning, about now we've got to handle winning and success," Margenthaler said. "That's something we haven't talked about since my time here. I didn't want to make it a big, big deal, but I do want them to know that there are people in the community that are appreciative and they do talk about us. They might not be all in the stands all the time, but they're excited about our program. I think our girls need to know that and understand that, and again it's just them now taking it on. I think they feel it as well and are excited about it."