#6 Southeast Missouri (18-13) vs. #3 Eastern Kentucky (21-9)

Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Quarterfinals
Date: Thursday, Mar. 6, 2014 Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Site: Municipal Auditorium (9,654)
Series: Eastern Kentucky leads, 26-16
Head Coaches: Dickey Nutt (256-277 overall; 67-90 at Southeast; 34-50 OVC). Jeff Neubauer (164-121 overall; 164-121 at EKU; 94-68 OVC).

Coverage
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
Southeast Missouri Notes | 2014 OVC Tournament Bracket | OVC Tournament Central

Music City Madness
Sixth-seeded Southeast Missouri (18-13) will face third-seeded Eastern Kentucky (21-9) in the quarterfinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Thursday. 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 and GoSoutheast.com.

Field Down to Six
Both No. 8 SIU Edwardsville and No. 7 Eastern Illinois were eliminated in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday. No. 5 Tennessee Tech beat SIUE, 74-67, and No. 6 Southeast took down EIU, 79-61. The Redhawks, Golden Eagles, No. 1 Belmont, No. 2 Murray State, No. 3 Eastern Kentucky and No. 4 Morehead State remain.

Redhawks Advance to Quarterfinals
Southeast is in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinals for the fourth-straight season. The Redhawks will also face Eastern Kentucky for the fourth time in as many years at the postseason event. Southeast was eliminated by the Colonels in the 2013 OVC Tournament. Prior to that, the Redhawks beat EKU during the first round in back-to-back tournaments (2011, 2012).

Fifth Meeting
The Redhawks and Colonels meet for the fifth time at the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Three of those contests were played since 2011. Southeast is 2-2 all-time against the Colonels in postseason play. The Redhawks are 2-1 vs. Eastern Kentucky at the OVC Tournament under head coach Dickey Nutt.

As a No. 6
Southeast is a No. 6 seed for the fifth time in its Ohio Valley Conference Tournament history. The Redhawks also went to the 1997, 2005, 2007 and 2013 tourneys with that seed. Southeast is 3-3 all-time as a No. 6 seed with its wins coming against Murray State (2005) and Eastern Illinois (2013, 2014). Southeast secured its OVC Tournament berth when it beat Austin Peay, 83-80, on Feb. 27.

Vs. the No. 3
The Redhawks are 2-4 against the No. 3 seed at the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Southeast has faced the No. 3 seeded team the most times in OVC Tournament play. The Redhawks last  beat a No. 3 seed to get to the semifinals in 2005. That year, then-seeded No. 6 Southeast defeated Murray State, 61-58.

OVC Tournament Record
Southeast is 10-11 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference Tournament play. The Redhawks advanced to the quarterfinals four-straight years. Southeast beat Eastern Kentucky (2011, 2012) and Eastern Illinois (2013, 2014) in those first round matchups. The Redhawks are 4-3 in postseason play under head coach Dickey Nutt. Southeast went four-straight years with at least one win at the OVC Tournament for the first time in school history.     

Now Appearing
Southeast is in its 13th Ohio Valley Conference Tournament appearance this year. The Redhawks made the league's postseason fling in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Southeast's current streak of four-consecutive OVC Tournament appearances is the Redhawks second-longest in the school's tournament history.

Five-Game Winning Streak
The Redhawks look to keep their winning streak alive when they hook up with Eastern Kentucky Thursday. Southeast matched a season-long five-game winning streak when it eliminated Eastern Illinois in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday. The Redhawks last won five in a row from Nov. 22-Dec. 7. Southeast has heated up to win six of its last seven contests.

OVC Tournament Debuts
A total of nine different Redhawks played in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the first time in their careers. Josh Langford, Darrian Gray, C.J. Reese, Antonius Cleveland, Kyle Stroder, Jamaal Calvin, Jarekious Bradley, Will Holifield and Caleb Woods were among that group. Tyler Stone, Nino Johnson and Lucas Nutt were the only three back with OVC Tournament experience from a year ago.

Eighteen Wins
Southeast picked up its 18th win of the season with its Ohio Valley Conference Tournament victory over Eastern Illinois (Mar. 5). It marked just the fourth time in the Redhawks NCAA Division I era where Southeast had 18 or more wins. The last time Southeast scored 18 wins in a season was 2000-01 (18-12). The Redhawks other Division I 18-plus win seasons were in 1999-2000 (24-7) and 1998-99 (20-9).

Loving the Postseason
First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference forward Tyler Stone has certainly found his niche in postseason play. Stone turned in a double-double 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead Southeast to its commanding 79-61 first round win over Eastern Illinois (Mar. 5). Stone shot 11-of-17 from the field and tied a career-high three 3-pointers. He also made 2-of-2 free throws, dished out one assist, had a steal and gathered three blocks in 35 minutes. Stone is averaging 21.4 points and 9.8 rebounds in five OVC Tournament over his career.

Cleveland and Johnson...Please Stand Up
Freshman Antonius Cleveland and junior Nino Johnson have been difference-makers in Southeast's last five games. Johnson has scored double figures in five-straight contests, while Cleveland added double figure off the bench four games in a row. Johnson has also accounted for seven or more rebounds in three of his last five starts. Cleveland scored 15 points in his Ohio Valley Conference Tournament debut against Eastern Illinois and Johnson chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Winning Big
Southeast's 18-point victory over Eastern Illinois (Mar. 5) was its largest in an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament game since 1999. That year, the Redhawks beat EIU, 78-57, in the first round. Southeast went on to the championship game where it lost to Murray State, 62-61.

Approach the Bench
The Redhawk reserves outscored Eastern Illinois' bench, 24-0, to open Ohio Valley Conference Tournament play. Southeast's bench has outscored its opponent's reserves, 120-32, in the last three games.

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

Redhawks Seek Payback
Southeast enters Thursday's matchup with its early season loss to Eastern Kentucky lingering. EKU overcame a 10-point deficit in the final 3:57 and Glenn Cosey banked in the game-winning three-pointer with one second left to slip past the Redhawks, 79-78, on Feb. 1. Southeast opened the second half of league play against the Colonels.