Tough SMS squad awaits Otahkians

Losing at Lipscomb was not the way Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians wanted to enter a game with another of their high-profile opponents.

But that's the problem the Otahkians (4-4) face as they prepare for tonight's 7:05 p.m. game against Southwest Missouri State (6-1) in Springfield, Mo.

"We're just not a very good basketball team right now," coach B.J. Smith said following Saturday's 52-47 setback to Lipscomb in Nashville, Tenn.

And Smith knows that's not a good sign entering tonight's game against a red-hot Bears squad that has been pounding its opposition so far.

"This is probably the best team they've had since they went to the Final Four," Smith said. SMS advanced to the national semifinals in the 2000-2001 season.

Southeast has already lost at 15th-ranked Oklahoma and 23rd-ranked Utah. Next week, the Otahkians play No. 11 Kansas State in a tournament in San Antonio, Texas.

Smith doesn't consider SMS to be much, if any, below those squads. The Bears went 18-13 last year -- including an 85-76 win over Southeast in Springfield -- and qualified for the NCAA Tournament by winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. They appear to be considerably improved this season.

The Bears are averaging 81 points per game and allowing just 60.1 points per contest. They are one of the nation's hottest-shooting squads, hitting 51.6 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from 3-point range.

Kari Koch, a 5-foot-8 sophomore guard who was the MVC freshman of the year last season, is averaging 21.1 points per game and shooting 54.2 percent from the field, including 50 percent on 3-pointers (20 of 40).

Jenni Lingor, a 5-10 junior guard, is averaging 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds. She's hitting 46.4 percent of her 3-point attempts (13 of 28).

Meg Tierney, a 6-1 senior forward, is the Bears' third double-figure scorer at 12.6 points. She's shooting a sizzling 60.8 percent from the floor.

Brown honored by OVC

Southeast junior center Chandra Brown is the Ohio Valley Conference player of the week after averaging 17.5 points and 15 rebounds in two games last week.

Brown had 15 points and 16 rebounds in a win over Northern Illinois, and 20 points and 14 rebounds against Lipscomb. She leads the Otahkians in scoring (12.8) and rebounding (8.1).