Southeast Missouri (12-14, 6-7 OVC) at SIU Edwardsville (10-14, 6-7 OVC)

Date: Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Edwardsville, Ill.
Arena: Vadalabene Center (4,000)
Series History: Southeast leads, 15-7
Coaches: Dickey Nutt (Southeast Missouri), Lennox Forrester (SIUE)

Media Coverage
TV: FOX Sports Midwest
Radio: ESPN 92.9 FM and Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean, Tom Ackerman)
Video: OVC Digital Network
Live Stats: SIUECougars.com
Twitter Updates: @SEMOmbb
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri

Redhawks Hit the Road
Southeast Missouri (12-14, 6-7) hits the road for two games this week. The Redhawks first visit SIU Edwardsville (10-14, 6-7) Thursday for a 7 p.m., CT, tip-off at the Vadalabene Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Thursday's game will be televised live on FOX Sports Midwest. It will also be broadcast on the radio at ESPN 92.9 FM and Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will provide play-by-play and Tom Ackerman will provide analysis. Live stats can be accessed online at SIUECougars.com. Video can be accessed online at the OVC Digital Network.

Down to the Wire
Southeast saw a two-game winning streak end in a heartbreaking 94-92 overtime loss to Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion Murray State (Feb. 14). The Redhawks held a 71-61 lead with 5:44 remaining before the Racers battled back to tie the game. T.J. Sapp was fouled behind the three-point line and made all three of his free throws with two seconds left, sending the game to overtime. Southeast managed to grab a 92-91 edge when Jarekious Bradley hit two free throws with 45 seconds in OT, but MSU made three free throws in the final 34 seconds. The Redhawks had one last chance, but Bradley's off-balance baseline jumper came off the back of the rim and the Racers survived.

Series History
The Redhawks own a 15-7 lead in their all-time series against SIU Edwardsville. Southeast is 6-3 against the Cougars under head coach Dickey Nutt. The Redhawks are 2-1 at the Vadalabene Center with Nutt as its coach. Southeast has lost in its last two trips to Edwardsville. SIUE, which beat the Redhawks, 75-61, on Jan. 29 in Cape Girardeau, has never swept Southeast.

OVC Picture
Five teams have currently punched their tickets to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. OVC regular-season champion Murray State will go to Nashville as the top seed. Eastern Kentucky, Belmont, UT Martin and Eastern Illinois are also in. Southeast and SIU Edwardsville are tied for seventh with identical 6-7 league records, making Thursday's matchup even more important for OVC Tournament seeding. Southeast needs a win and losses by both Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech to secure a spot.

Injury Update
Guard J.J. Thompson has been cleared to play Thursday at SIU Edwardsville. Thompson missed the Murray State (Feb. 14) game due to a concussion. Jarekious Bradley, who suffered a right ankle sprain against the Racers, is day-to-day.

Johnson Eyes Top-10
Southeast's all-time career leader in blocked shots, Nino Johnson is three swats away from cracking the Ohio Valley Conference's Top-10 career list. Johnson currently has 177 blocks and needs three to tie Murray State's Cuthbert Victor (180 blocks, 2000-04).

Wallace Gets Second-Straight OVC Freshman of the Week Honor
Guard Marcus Wallace was named Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week for the second-straight week on Feb. 16. A native Little Rock, Ark., Wallace turned in two more strong performances as Southeast split two games last week. He came off the bench to score 14 points on 4-of-4 field goals, a perfect 3-of-3 three-pointers and 3-of-4 free throws in 29 minutes against UT Martin (Feb. 12). Wallace then poured in 17 points on 5-of-7 from the field and a flawless 6-of-6 at the free throw line against Murray State (Feb. 14). He played 31 minutes off the bench in that game. For the week, Wallace shot a scorching 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from field goal range, 90 percent (9-of-10) at the free throw line and 80 percent (4-of-5) from beyond the arc. He has scored double figures in three-straight contests. Wallace joined Jacksonville State's Darion Rackley (Player), Eastern Illinois' Trae Anderson (Co-Newcomer) and UT Martin's Twymond Howard (Co-Newcomer) as this week's honorees. He was also named OVC Freshman of the Week Feb. 9.

Cleveland Lands on ESPN SportsCenter
Antonius Cleveland had a huge week, averaging 20 points and 8.5 rebounds in two starts last week. A native of Memphis, Tenn., Cleveland began the week by scoring 19 points on 8-of-11 field goals in the Redhawks dominating 98-76 win over UT Martin (Feb. 12). Two days later, he scored a season-high 21 points on 6-of-12 from the field and a career-high 9-of-12 at the free throw line in Southeast's heartbreaking 94-92 overtime loss to Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion Murray State. Cleveland also had a highlight-reel dunk that made the "Crazy College Dunks" segment during Sunday's ESPN SportsCenter. It was the third time Cleveland made ESPN SportsCenter in his college career.

Chasing 1,000
Jarekious Bradley and Nino Johnson are both chasing 1,000 career points. Bradley (939) needs 61 more to hit that mark, while Johnson (963) is 37 points away. So far, Dickey Nutt has had two 1,000-point scorers as Southeast's head coach. Tyler Stone (2011-14) ranks fifth all-time in school history with 1,546 points and Marland Smith (2009-13) ranks seventh with 1,423.

Bradley Goes Off
Jarekious Bradley scored a team-high 21 points in 28 minutes off the bench against UT Martin (Feb. 12). Bradley made his first four field goals of the game and finished at 8-of-13 from the field. He also knocked down two threes and three free throws. Two days later, Bradley turned in 15 points, including 11 in a span of 2:48. He made a three-pointer on three-straight possessions to get Southeast a 71-61 lead with 5:44 left to play.

Approach the Bench
The Redhawk bench has outscored opposing reserves 119-22 over the last three games. At least two different players have come off the bench to score double figures in that span. Freshman Marcus Wallace has given Southeast the biggest lift, dropping in 18 points vs. Eastern Illinois (Feb. 7), 14 vs. UT Martin (Feb. 12) and 17 vs. Murray State (Feb. 14).

Hot Shooting
Southeast shot a scorching 58.5 percent (38-of-65) from the field against UT Martin (Feb. 12). The Redhawks shot just under 60 percent in both halves. It was the Redhawks highest field goal percentage since they shot 60 percent (33-of-55) in an 83-80 victory over Austin Peay (Feb. 27, 2014). Southeast shot 50 percent (28-of-56) in its latest effort vs. Murray State (Feb. 14). The Redhawks have shot over 50 percent in six games this season.

Keep it Up
Senior forward Nino Johnson is playing his best basketball as of late. Johnson recorded a double-double in four of his last five starts and scored double figures in six-straight contests.  He averaged 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds over his previous six starts. Not to mention, Johnson secured the 50th double-digit scoring game of his career at Murray State on Feb. 5.

Show Me State
Southeast currently has the most wins of any NCAA Division I school in Missouri this season. The Redhawks 12 victories rank above Saint Louis (10-16), UMKC (11-15), Missouri State (9-17) and Missouri (7-18).

Two Away
Senior Nino Johnson is two steals away from reaching 100 in his career. Johnson presently ranks ninth all-time at Southeast with 98 steals, including a team-high 39 this season.

Down the Stretch
Southeast plays two of its final three regular-season games on the road. After Thursday's matchup, the Redhawks will travel to Eastern Illinois (Feb. 22). Southeast's final home contest will be senior night against Austin Peay on Feb. 28.

Bradley 15th in the Nation in Free Throw Percentage
Jarekious Bradley leads the Ohio Valley Conference and ranks 15th in  the nation in free throw percentage. Overall, Bradley has missed eight free throws this season, knocking down 65-of-73 attempts for 89 percent.

About SIU Edwardsville
SIU Edwardsville enters Thursday's game after dropping three of its last four contests. SIUE is presently 10-14 overall and tied for seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference with Southeast at 6-7.  The Cougars rank third in the OVC in three-point field goal percentage (.384) and second in blocks (103). Kris Davis leads SIUE and stands 10th in the OVC in scoring with 14.3 points per game.