THE LATEST LINE: SEMO VS. MURRAY IS SOME KIND OF RIVALRY

MURRAY, Ky. -- Before coach Gary Garner arrived on the Southeast Missouri State University basketball scene, the Indians and Murray State had a rivalry -- but primarily because the schools were so close geographically.

Now, the teams have a rivalry based on the fact that the Indians' program has improved so much that SEMO has become a legitimate threat to the Racers' Ohio Valley Conference supremacy, although the Indians -- along with every other league team -- still have a ways to go to catch up to Murray, which has won 11 of the past 12 OVC titles.

And what a rivalry it has become, even though Murray entered this season with a 15-game winning streak over SEMO, the Indians' last victory over the Racers coming way back in 1992.

Last year, the Racers won all three meetings against the Indians but the last two were decided at the buzzer, including the championship game of the OVC Tournament, when Aubrey Reese's miraculous shot put Murray in and kept SEMO out of the NCAA tourney.

What happened last year had fans of both programs licking their chops at what might take place this season as the Racers were once again the heavy preseason OVC favorites and the Indians were again expected to challenge for the title.

Saturday night, a crowd of 6,640 -- a decent portion of the fans were red-clad Indian supporters -- packed into the Regional Special Events Center here to watch this season's first installment of Murray vs. SEMO.

The Racers entered the contest in first place in the 10-team OVC with a 3-0 league record. The Indians, despite an upset loss at Tennessee-Martin Thursday night, were right on Murray's heels with a second-place mark of 4-1.

As one would expect, the intensity inside the Regional Special Events Center -- on the part of both the teams and the fans -- was at a fever pitch.

And those fans weren't disappointed. They saw a wild, crazy affair that featured Garner being ejected after receiving two undeserved technical fouls by an official who had rabbit ears; an unbelievable shift of momentum after Garner's exit; and an amazing second-half SEMO comeback from a 12-point deficit.

When the final gun had sounded, the Indians -- with their head coach in the locker room listening to the happenings via radio -- had finally ended their long, frustrating drought against the Racers and sent their fans into a frenzy with an 84-78 win.

Not only did the Indians finally break through against Murray, they also ended the Racers' nation's best 47-game home winning streak, a feat that could very well make ESPN's SportsCenter.

After the victory, the Indians celebrated like they had just won a national championship, but who could blame them, especially after the pain the Racers inflicted upon SEMO last year?

But most of the Indians were also quick to point out that they know the Racers will be foaming at the mouth for revenge when the teams meet Feb. 12 at the Show Me Center.

And don't be surprised if the squads, just like last year, have a third meeting this season -- in the OVC Tournament finals.

That would definitely make what has become a tremendous rivalry even juicier.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian