Southeast Missouri (10-8, 5-1 OVC) at Tennessee Tech (11-8, 3-3 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Site: Eblen Center (9,282)
Series Record: TTU leads, 29-12
Coaches: Dickey Nutt (216-240 overall, 27-53 at Southeast, 14-28 OVC); Steve Payne (11-8 overall, 11-8 at TTU, 3-3 OVC)
Media Coverage
Redhawks Radio Network: K103 FM (KEZS), flagship; 1440 AM (KSIM); 903 AM (KWOC); 1470 AM (KMAL). Erik Sean, Play-by-Play.
Video: OVCSports.tv
Live Stats: TTUSports.com
Southeast Missouri Game Notes
Quick Hits
Red-Hot Redhawks
Southeast won six of its last seven games and heads to Cookeville, Tenn., currently second in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The Redhawks, who are on a two-game winning streak, own a 4-1 record this month.
Tall Order of Business
Southeast will face a tough Tennessee Tech team which was picked second in this year's Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll. The Golden Eagles, who rank second in the league with 11 victories this season, boast two of the conference's top-three scorers in guards Kevin Murphy (1st, 19.7 ppg) and Jud Dillard (3rd, 18.3 ppg). TTU ranks second in the OVC in scoring offense, averaging 73.5 points per contest. Murphy was also projected as the OVC's Player of the Year prior to the season.
Series History
Tennessee Tech holds a 29-12 lead in its overall series against Southeast. The Golden Eagles have won 10 of their last 11 meetings with the Redhawks at the Eblen Center. Southeast had to vacate one of its wins in the series (2007-08).
Taking a Stand
Southeast is behind undefeated and No. 10 Murray State (19-0, 7-0) in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The Redhawks are presently 5-1 in league play with their only conference loss coming on the road at Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 7). This year's OVC record is Southeast's best since 1999-2000 (9-1).
Field Goal-Oriented
The Redhawks are among the top-10 national leaders in field goal percentage for the first time this season. Southeast leads the Ohio Valley Conference and ranks eighth in the nation with a 49.8 percent (482-of-968) clip. The Redhawks have three of the league's top-five shooters.
Leon Powell (.693) leads the OVC, while
Marcus Brister (.586) and
Tyler Stone (.542) are second and fifth, respectively.
Now, That's Impressive
Southeast shot 50 percent or better from the field in all six of its Ohio Valley Conference games this season. The Redhawks made a combined 54.1 percent (164-of-303) of their attempts over that span. Southeast shot 50 percent or better in nine games this year.
On a Roll
Marland Smith dropped in a season-high 24 points to lead Southeast against Eastern Illinois (Jan. 14). Smith, who made seven three-pointers in the first half alone, shot 8-of-13 from the field. He ranks second on the team in scoring with 12 points per game and has scored double figures in nine-straight starts. Smith also scored 20 or more points on five occasions and drained multiple three-pointers every game during that span.
Let's Get Another
The Redhawks will go after their second-straight win in Cookeville after beating Tennessee Tech there a year ago. Southeast has won at the Eblen Center in back-to-back years only once -- 1998-99, 1999-00.
