#6 Southeast Missouri (17-13) vs. #7 Eastern Illinois (11-18)

Ohio Valley Conference Tournament First Round
Date: Wednesday, Mar. 5, 2014 Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Site: Municipal Auditorium (9,654)
Series: Southeast leads, 25-22
Head Coaches: Dickey Nutt (255-277 overall; 66-90 at Southeast; 34-50 OVC). Jay Spoonhour (128-72 overall; 22-39 at EIU; 13-20 OVC).


Radio: ESPN 92.9 FM; Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean, Play-by-Play
Video: OVC Digital Network
Live Stats: OVCSports.com
Ticket Information: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @GoSoutheast
2014 Southeast Missouri OVC Tournament Guide | 2014 OVC Tournament Bracket | OVC Tournament Central

Music City Madness Begins
Sixth-seeded Southeast Missouri (17-13) opens postseason play against seventh-seeded Eastern Illinois (11-18) in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m., CT, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Follow the Action
All of Southeast's games at the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will be broadcast live on the radio at ESPN 92.9 FM and Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will call the action. Video is available online at the OVC Digital Network for the first round and quarterfinal matchups. The semifinals will be televised live on ESPNU and the championship game will air on ESPN2. Live stats for all games can be accessed at OVCSports.com.

The Field is Set
This year's eight-team Ohio Valley Conference Tournament field consists of No. 1 Belmont, No. 2 Murray State, No. 3 Eastern Kentucky, No. 4 Morehead State, No. 5 Tennessee Tech, No. 6 Southeast Missouri, No. 7 Eastern Illinois and No. 8 SIU Edwardsville. This year marks the second-straight where Southeast heads to the event as a six-seed.

Now Appearing
Southeast makes its 13th Ohio Valley Conference Tournament appearance this year. The Redhawks have made the league's postseason fling in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Southeast makes its fourth-straight trip to Music City Madness under head coach Dickey Nutt. It is currently the Redhawks second-longest streak of consecutive OVC Tournament appearances.

We Meet Again
For the second year in a row, Southeast and Eastern Illinois will meet in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The Redhawks beat the Panthers, 78-68, in last year's meeting on Mar. 6, 2013. Southeast and EIU split their season series this season with the Panthers winning in Cape Girardeau and the Redhawks winning in Charleston. Southeast is 2-0 all-time against EIU at the OVC Tournament.

OVC Tournament Record
Southeast is 9-11 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference Tournament play. The Redhawks advanced to the quarterfinals three-straight years. Southeast beat Eastern Kentucky (2011, 2012) and Eastern Illinois (2013) in those first round matchups. The Redhawks are 3-3 in postseason play under head coach Dickey Nutt. Southeast has never gone four-straight years with at least one win at the OVC Tournament.

As a No. 6
The Redhawks are a No. 6 seed for the fifth time in their Ohio Valley Conference Tournament history. Southeast also went to the 1997, 2005, 2007 and 2013 tourneys with that seed. The Redhawks are 2-3 all-time as a No. 6 seed with their wins coming against Murray State in 2005 and Eastern Illinois in 2013. Southeast secured its OVC Tournament berth when it beat Austin Peay, 83-80, on Feb. 27.

Perfect Timing
Southeast enters this year's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on a four-game winning streak. It is its longest winning streak since the Redhawks won five in a row (Nov. 22-Dec. 7). Southeast has won five of its last six contests. The Redhawks also had plenty of momentum when they headed to the 2013 OVC Tournament. At that time, Southeast had won five of seven games before opening postseason play.

Epic Finale
Tyler Stone and Jarekious Bradley eached turned in a double-double and seven different Redhawks scored 10 or more points in Southeast's epic 118-115 double overtime victory over Murray State (Mar. 1). The Redhawks led, 92-89, with 1:35 left before T.J. Sapp buried a three-pointer to tie the game with 20 seconds in regulation. MSU then had a chance to win in the first overtime, but freshman Cameron Payne missed two free throws with four seconds on the clock. The Redhawks managed to outscore the Racers, 13-10, in the final OT. Southeast and MSU went back-and-forth in a game that featured 18 ties and 14 lead changes. The Redhawks put an end to the Racers five-game winning streak.

Nice Work
Southeast beat Austin Peay and Murray State on its homecourt in the same season for just the second time in 2013-14. The Redhawks last accomplished that feat in 1991-92, their inaugural year at the NCAA Division I level. That feat comes one year after Southeast swept the Governors and Racers on the road for the first time in school history.

Give it Up for the Freshmen
True freshmen Antonius Cleveland and Jamaal Calvin made a huge difference in Southeast's latest win over Murray State (Mar. 1). Cleveland scored a season-high 21 points and carried the Redhawks with seven points in the second overtime period. Meanwhile, Calvin added 17 points and made two big threes to help grab Southeast a 52-46 lead at the half.

High Scoring Affair
Southeast (118) and Murray State (115) combined for 233 points in its double overtime barn-burner on Mar. 1. It marked the most points in an Ohio Valley Conference game that the Redhawks were a part of since Southeast (121) and Austin Peay (116) combined for 237 on Jan. 29, 2008. That game was also in Cape Girardeau.

Three Assists Away
Lucas Nutt is three assists away from getting 600 in his Southeast career. Nutt currently has 178 this season and 597 in his career. He also needs 23 more to break the Redhawks all-time single-season record currently held by Dwayne Rutherford (200 in 1988-89).

Seniors Take a Bow
Seniors Tyler Stone and Lucas Nutt suited up at home for the last time in their Southeast careers when the Redhawks upended Murray State (Mar. 1). Stone had a double-double 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Nutt scored 10 points and dished out eight assists. The were among a group of seven players that scored double figures for Southeast in that contest.

From One Record Holder to Another
Former Southeast all-time career assists leader Dwayne Rutherford presented a commemorative basketball to the Redhawks new record holder Lucas Nutt. Rutherford compiled 541 assists from 1986-1990 and held the record until Nutt surpassed him on Jan. 29. Rutherford and Nutt have dished out a combined 1,138 assists during their Southeast careers.

Winning Season
Not only did the Redhawks secure their fourth-straight Ohio Valley Conference Tournament berth against Austin Peay (Feb. 27), but Southeast locked up a winning season for the second-consecutive year. The last time the Redhawks posted back-to-back winning seasons was 1998-99 (20-9) and 1999-2000 (24-7).  

Hot Shooting Redhawks
Southeast ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference shooting 50 percent from the field this season. The Redhawks have shot 56 percent or better in three of their last four contests. Southeast is behind Belmont, who tops the league with a .506 field goal percentage.

Second in the West
Southeast finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference West Division and sixth overall with a 17-13 record and 8-8 mark in league play. The Redhawks won each of their last three games by three points en route to their strong finish down the stretch.