Unbeaten Southeast women visit Florida State

Win or lose, the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team believes today's game at Florida State will be a good experience and help the Redhawks in the long run.

Not that the Redhawks are about to concede what on paper figures to be their first loss of the season.

"I'm excited. Good competition always makes you better," senior point guard Tarina Nixon said. "We're hoping these early games will let us know what we have to work on for conference play.

"They're a very good team. We want to compete and take care of our business. If we do, I think we have a good shot."

Southeast (3-0) will certainly be an underdog against FSU (3-1) in the 10 a.m. tipoff in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Seminoles were ranked 21st nationally before dropping out of the polls after Sunday's loss to Florida. They received the fourth-most votes among squads outside the top 25.

Southeast coach John Ishee figures that defeat might serve to make the Seminoles angry when they face his squad.

Regardless, Ishee said he welcomes the Redhawks' first road test after they opened the season with three straight home wins.

"It'll be a lot of fun, to play a team from the ACC that has been nationally ranked," Ishee said. "We're going there to win, but it will be a monumental challenge."

FSU has a strong recent tradition, making four consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament and recording a first-round victory during each of those appearances.

Last year the Seminoles upset Ohio State in their NCAA tournament opener, and at one point had their highest-ever ranking at No. 18.

"They've got a great program," Ishee said.

Southeast has played FSU before, losing 64-50 at the Show Me Center during the 2006-07 season.

Today's contest is the return game from that previous meeting, which saw FSU lead by just one point at halftime before pulling away in the late going.

"I remember they were a really good team, but we competed with them pretty well," Nixon said. "Hopefully we can do that again."

Three players who started in the game against Southeast two years ago are still starting for FSU.

Jacinta Monroe, a 6-foot-4 junior forward, is averaging a double-double with 17.3 points and 11 rebounds per game. She is shooting 57.8 percent from the field (26 of 45).

Tanae Davis-Cain, a 5-11 senior guard, is averaging 12 points, while 6-1 senior guard Mara Freshour carries a 9.5 average.

Davis-Cain had the biggest impact against Southeast two years ago, leading FSU with 21 points.

FSU also features an impact freshman in 6-4 center Cierra Bravard, who is averaging 14 points and shooting 66.7 percent (24 of 36).

"They've got a lot of size inside and a lot of talent," Ishee said. "It will be a big challenge for us, but I know we'll go there and compete."

No matter what today's result is, Ishee will feel pretty good about the Redhawks' start that has featured two wins against quality opponents in Missouri State and Arkansas-Little Rock.

Both those contests hung in the balance down the stretch.

"We're 3-0 with two really good, tough wins," Ishee said. "Those are two games we could have lost because of the competition we played, so I feel good about that."