Southeast tries to snap streak at EKU

~ The Redhawks have lost six in a row.

The bad news for Southeast Missouri State is that the team has lost six straight games.

The good news for the Redhawks is that they still have plenty of time to make their way up the Ohio Valley Conference standings.

But the Redhawks know they need to break into the win column again sooner rather than later -- or risk the possibility of being buried in the OVC race before the halfway point.

Southeast's next chance at a victory comes tonight when they resume conference play with a 6:30 p.m. tipoff at Eastern Kentucky.

The contest marks the beginning of a four-game OVC stretch for the Redhawks that includes three road games.

Following tonight's matchup, Southeast hosts Eastern Illinois Thursday night, then visits Murray State on Jan. 8 and Austin Peay on Jan. 13.

"We're in a very difficult part of our schedule," Southeast coach Scott Edgar said.

Southeast (3-11, 1-4 OVC) and EKU (8-4, 3-1) are moving in opposite directions.

While the Redhawks are tied for last place in the 11-team OVC, the Colonels are tied for third place and they are riding a two-game league winning streak -- with both victories coming on the road.

EKU's most recent performance, even though it resulted in a loss, was impressive as the Colonels trailed host Kentucky by just six points at halftime Saturday before losing 78-65.

The Colonels utilize a patient offense and average just 65.7 points per game -- fifth in the OVC -- but they are efficient offensively. They lead the conference in overall field goal shooting (47 percent) and rank second in 3-point shooting (35.2 percent).

EKU also gives up the fewest points in the league with an average of 62.7 per game.

Southeast is right behind EKU in scoring -- averaging 64.8 points per game -- but the Redhawks are allowing an OVC-worst 79.4 points.

The Redhawks are eighth in the OVC in field-goal percentage (40.8) and ninth in 3-point percentage (29.9).

EKU's balanced attack is led by 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Mike Rose, the OVC's sixth-leading scorer at 15.1 points per game.

Also averaging in double figures for the Colonels are 6-4 senior swingman Julian Mascoll (12.5 ppg) and 6-foot freshman guard Adam Leonard (11.3 ppg).

Mascoll leads the conference in field-goal percentage (60.2). He has shot at least 50 percent in 10 straight games.

Leonard is second in the OVC in 3-point percentage (44.7), while Rose is sixth (39.7). Both have made more than 30 3-pointers.

Leonard is coming off a career-high 20-point game at Kentucky, where he made all six of his 3-point attempts.

"Eastern Kentucky is a very good team, with a lot of weapons," Edgar said. "I expect another tough, hard-fought OVC game, like all of them are."

Southeast is coming off Saturday's 102-65 loss at Purdue, but the Redhawks have dropped their last two OVC games by a total of just four points.

The Redhawks have suffered four consecutive conference defeats, with three of those by a total of seven points.