SPLIT WILL FIT OTAHKIANS ON ROAD

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen is at the same time realistic and optimistic about his team's two-game Ohio Valley Conference road trip deep into Kentucky.

Today, the Otahkians (4-5 overall, 2-0 OVC) will face last-place Morehead State (2-6, 0-2). Monday, Southeast will play heavy league favorite Eastern Kentucky (7-2, 2-0).

"I would love for us to come back from this trip with a split," said Arnzen. "Sure, we would like to win them both. But that's going to be very difficult. Going 1-1 would be very good."

Arnzen realizes that even just splitting on the trip will not be easy because Morehead is a dangerous team.

"They'll be tough at home, like all teams are," he said. "But it's a game that, if we play well, we should have a chance to win."

The Otahkians are tied for first place in the OVC with Eastern, which might rate as a surprise to some people since Southeast finished last in the league a year ago and got off to a 1-5 overall start this season.

But the Otahkians have won three straight games, including impressive OVC victories at home over Austin Peay and Tennessee State.

"We've really turned it around and hopefully we can keep that up," said Arnzen, whose squad has not played a game since Dec. 13. "I hope the layoff hasn't affected us. I think it was good for the girls to get some time off and spend the holidays with their families."

Morehead is paced by Hillary Swisher, who averages nearly 13 points per game. The Lady Eagles have a new coach in Laura Litter.

"They were a pretty decent club last year and they've got some of those same girls back," said Arnzen. "They'll be a tough opponent for us."

Eastern, the defending OVC champion, is the overwhelming favorite to win the conference title.

"I'd say they are the class of the league, with Tennessee Tech maybe being up there as well," Arnzen said. "Eastern is a tremendous ballclub."

Southeast is led by junior-college transfer Tijuana White (9.8 points per game). Moneik Campbell (9.7 ppg) and Jamie Koester (8.6) are close behind.