THE LATEST LINE: SE LOOKING REALLY STRONG IN OVC RACE

Plenty of fans are thinking that this might be the Indians' year.

There is still a lot of the basketball season left to be played, and the Ohio Valley Conference race is far from being decided.

But there is no denying the fact that Southeast Missouri State University's Indians are looking more and more like a team that just might be able to finally knock Murray State's Racers off their lofty OVC perch.

SEMO came close last year, finishing just one game behind Murray in the OVC regular-season standings, largely because of a buzzer victory by the Racers, who pulled off the same feat in the championship game of the league tournament.

There is no question that exceptional coach Gary Garner and his fine staff have, in just three years, built a program in Cape Girardeau that is among the OVC's very best, one good enough to challenge for league supremacy.

But the big question and one that SEMO fans have been asking me just about every place I go is this:

Can the Indians, who knocked very hard on the door last year, finally break it down and win their first-ever OVC title?

Like I said earlier, there is still so much of the season left to be played. But the Indians are, right now at least, in the OVC driver's seat, thanks to their recent win over Murray and the Racers' upset loss to Middle Tennessee Thursday night.

A big homestand concluded Saturday night for the Indians and they came through it with flying colors, winning all four games convincingly to solidify their hold on first place in the OVC.

Now it's back on the road for the Indians, who play Tennessee State Thursday and Austin Peay Saturday, the latter game shaping up as a huge test.

Nobody can say for sure right now whether the Indians will have what it takes to fend off Murray and all the other OVC challengers.

But, bolstered by tremendous team chemistry and unselfishness not to mention some pretty talented players the Indians are almost certain to make a serious run at the title.

And it's going to be plenty of fun for SEMO fans the rest of the season as they follow the Indians' fortunes.

* Players can't officially sign until Wednesday, but new SEMO football coach Tim Billings and his assistants appear to be putting together quite a first recruiting class.

Among the players who have orally committed to SEMO are North County's record-setting quarterback Jeremy McDowell and Mehlville's standout linebacker Terrell Jones.

* Congratulations to the Scott City boys basketball team for being ranked No. 1 in the state (in Class 2A) for the first time ever.

Also kudos to Dexter for reaching the top of the 3A poll and to Advance for climbing to second in 1A.

* Super Bowls often are disappointingly lopsided, but I expect a dandy today when the Rams and Titans square off.

It looks like a great matchup and I wouldn't be surprised if either team won. As for a prediction, I'll say St. Louis 28, Tennessee 24.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian