SURPRISING OTAHKS SIT ATOP OVC STANDINGS

Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team is in first place in the Ohio Valley Conference.

And that is indeed sweet music to the ears of coach Ed Arnzen and his Otahkians.

"It's been a while since we've been in first place," said Arnzen with a smile after the Otahkians' 74-65 victory over Tennessee State Monday night. "But it's a good feeling."

The Otahkians improved to 3-5 overall and 2-0 in OVC play after the win witnessed by 346 fans at the Show Me Center. Southeast is tied with preseason OVC favorite Eastern Kentucky atop the league standings.

Sure, it's still so, so early. But the Otahkians deserve to be feeling good right now. After all, they were picked to finish last in the 10-team league. And they wound up last a year ago.

"It's exciting," said Jamie Koester. "We're trying to prove everybody wrong."

Moneik Campbell led five Otahkians in double figures as she scored 14 points. Koester and Tajuana White followed with 13 apiece, Jaime Neff had 11 and ChyAnne Kapitzke added 10.

Campbell also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds from her guard spot while Koester and Neff both had seven. Neff also had five assists while Campbell added four assists.

"To be 2-0 feels good," said Neff. "It's going to make the Christmas break a lot better."

Schronda Moore and Cari Hassell led TSU (3-3, 0-1 OVC) with 16 points apiece.

The Otahkians trailed 35-30 at halftime and fell behind 46-34 early in the second half.

But as they had done during Saturday's opening OVC win over Austin Peay, the Otahkians stormed back.

Southeast finally took the lead for good on Koester's basket that made it 52-51 with just under nine minutes left.

Neff -- who hit three of six 3-pointers -- banked in a trey from an unusual angle to put the Otahkians up 60-53 with under seven minutes left.

"I felt lucky after that," said a grinning Neff of her unusual bank shot.

After TSU pulled to within 60-57, Koester -- last year's leading scorer who has been struggling offensively this season -- scored Southeast's next eight points. Then a Neff 3-pointer made it 71-59 and buried TSU.

"I've still got a lot of work to do (offensively)," Koester said. "I just have to relax and let it come to me."

OTAHKIAN NOTES: White was selected the OVC Newcomer of the Week for games played last week.

The 5-9 junior forward scored 27 points in games against Tulsa and Austin Peay...

Southeast will close out first-semester play Saturday when Oakland City comes to the Show Me Center for a 7:30 p.m. non-conference game.

The contest had originally been scheduled for 7 but was moved back to accommodate graduation ceremonies Saturday afternoon.