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Southeast Missouri (5-5) at Western Kentucky (7-2)

Game Information
Date: Sunday, December 16, 2012
Tip-Off: 2:00 p.m., CT
Location: Bowling Green, Ky.
Site: E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326)
Series Record: First Meeting
Coaches: Ty Margenthaler (12-27 overall, 12-27 at Southeast); Michelle Clark-Heard (31-34 overall, 7-2 at Western Kentucky)

Media Coverage
Redhawks Radio Network: ESPN 1220 AM (KGIR), flagship; 930 AM (KWOC); 1470 AM (KMAL). Erik Sean, Play-by-Play
Live Stats (link available at start time): WKUSports.com
Video Streaming (Subscription Required): WKUSports.tv

Quick Hits
About Western Kentucky – The Lady Toppers are 7-2 (3-0 in the Sun Belt Conference) and have won four of their past five games. WKU has scored at least 60 points in all but one game this season, a 59-53 win at Kent State on Dec. 9. Alexis Govan (18.6 points per game) and Chastity Gooch (15.3 points per game) are both scoring in double figures, combining for nearly half of the Lady Toppers' scoring. Gooch is also WKU's top rebounder, pulling in 10.9 boards per contest, a figure which leads the Sun Belt and ranks 23rd nationally. Defensively, WKU is forcing opponents to commit nearly 23 (22.9) turnovers per game and has held five foes below 60 points. In the last two contests, Western Kentucky has held opponents to 28.3 percent shooting and 45.5 points per game. The Hilltoppers have faced two OVC schools on the road this season, defeating Murray State (80-69) and Morehead State (62-38), respectively.

With a win, Southeast would…
•Move to 6-5 for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

•Pick up its sixth non-conference victory, its most since the 2002-03 season.

•Win consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 4-7, 2010.

•Improve to 2-0 against the Sun Belt Conference this season.

Cleaning the Glass – Junior forward Patricia Mack has been a force on the glass this season. Through 10 games, Mack is third in the OVC in rebounding at 9.5 per game. She has grabbed seven or more rebounds in eight of 10 games. In the last seven games, the Columbus, Ohio native has grabbed 10+ boards five times. Mack has also scored in double figures twice in that span, which includes a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double at Arkansas State on Nov. 19. She is averaging 14.0 rebounds the last four games after corralling 12 at Missouri on Nov. 29, pulling in a career-high 17 rebounds against UIC on Dec. 1, grabbing 11 more at Southern Illinois on Dec. 5 and 16 against Western Illinois on Dec. 8.

Hackmann Heats Up – Freshman guard Olivia Hackmann has provided the Redhawks with some strong moments off the bench over the last few weeks. The Chamois, Mo., native hit 6-of-10 shots and scored a game-high 15 points off the bench to lead Southeast to a victory against Western Illinois on Dec. 8. That contest was the freshman's second game of 10 or more points in the past five games. Prior to this stretch, Hackmann had only scored two total points in her first four career games.

Breakout Non-Conference – Southeast is in the midst of its best non-conference run in years. At 5-5, the Redhawks have picked up their most non-conference victories since the 2008-09 season, the last time they made the OVC Tournament. Historically, winning at least five non-conference games has typically yielded strong results in conference play. Of the 14 times the Redhawks won five or more non-conference games as a Division I school, the Redhawks have finished .500 or better in OVC play in 12 of those seasons.

Defense is Streaking – Southeast has really picked it up on the defensive end lately. The Redhawks are fourth in the conference in scoring defense, yielding 60.6 points per game while their 36.2 percent opponents field goal shooting is the third best mark in the league. Southeast has been especially stifling in the last three games, holding the opposition to 30.5 percent shooting and 52.3 points per game. The Redhawks have held five opponents below 60 points in their last seven games.