Southeast Missouri (12-7, 5-1 OVC) at SIUE (10-9, 5-1 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016
Tipoff: 8:00 p.m., CT
Location: Edwardsville, Ill.
Arena: Vadalabene Center
Series: Southeast leads 21-14
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (12-7, First Season); Paula Buscher (56-55, Fourth Season)
 
Media Information 
Radio: SEMO ESPN 1220 AM (Todd Bonacki) | Listen Live
TV: American Sports Network / My49 TV WKDA | List of Stations Carrying the Game
Live Video: OVC Digital Network (ASN Feed)
Live Stats: SIUECougars.com
Twitter Updates: @SEMOwbb
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri | SIUE
 
Battle of the OVC Leaders
Southeast Missouri (12-7, 5-1 OVC) women's basketball will begin the final 10 games of the regular season when it travels to Edwardsville, Illinois Wednesday for a showdown with SIUE (10-9, 5-1 OVC). The Redhawks and Cougars both sit atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings at 5-1 in league play. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. from the Vadalabene Center.
 
Follow the Redhawks
Wednesday's game will be aired live on the American Sports Network. The game will air locally on MyTV 49 WKDA. Wednesday's game will also be broadcast live on SEMO ESPN 1220 AM. Todd Bonacki will provide play-by-play on the broadcast. Fans can download the SEMO ESPN app to listen to live broadcasts of Redhawks basketball all season long. Live stats can be accessed online at SIUECougars.com. Live Twitter updates are available on the official Twitter page of the Redhawks, @SEMOwbb. The game will also be streamed for free on the OVC Digital Network.
 
Series History
Southeast Missouri leads the all-time series against SIUE 21-14. The series dates back to 1978. Since SIUE has joined the OVC in 2011-12, Southeast is 3-5 against the Cougars. The Redhawks lost both games of the home-and-home series last season, 48-60, 67-78. On the road, Southeast is 8-8 in Edwardsville; 1-3 since SIUE joined the OVC.
 
Let's Recap
Southeast Missouri improved to 5-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play last week with wins over Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech. The Redhawks defeated JSU at home 61-47 on Wednesday. With the win, Southeast improved to 6-2 in the Show Me Center. The Redhawks returned to the road Saturday at Tennessee Tech. Down 13 with 6:12 to play in the game, the Redhawks mounted a 17-1 run to finish the game and earn the come-from-behind victory. Erin Bollmann drained the game-winning putback with seven seconds remaining in the game. Bri Mitchell earned a steal with two seconds left, was fouled, and drained both foul shots to secure the win for the Redhawks, 60-57. Bollmann tallied a season-high 21 points with eight rebounds and four steals. Mitchell picked up her 10th double-digit point game in the last 11 contests with 12 points. The Redhawks earned the win despite shooting 29.0% from the field and hitting only two of their 22 3-point shots; however, the Redhawks hit 22 of their 27 free throw attempts.
 
Looking at the SIUE Cougars
SIUE picked up wins over Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky last week. Senior Shronda Butts posted her fourth 30-point performance on the season in the win over Morehead State. She added 24 points against Eastern Kentucky. She has scored 20 or more points 11 times this season. Sophomore Lauren White tallied 12 points versus Morehead State for her sixth double-digit point game of the year. Freshman Amri Widler reached double-figure in points for the second time this season against EKU. Also against the Colonels, Donshel Buck posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Looking Ahead
The Redhawks will return to the Show Me Center for three-straight games beginning Saturday, Jan. 23 when the reigning OVC Champions UT Martin come to town. The Redhawks and UT Martin tip off at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Redhawks will take a week off from competition before welcoming Austin Peay to Cape on Jan. 30. The month of February will begin against Murray State on Feb. 3.
 
Women's Basketball Coaches Show Mondays at 9 a.m.
Fans can tune in to SEMO ESPN to hear head women's basketball coach Rekha Patterson discuss her team on a weekly basis. Patterson will be live on the air as part of The Sports Huddle Monday mornings at 9 a.m. beginning Jan. 25. The Sports Huddle is a live weekday broadcast with Erik Sean and Jess Bolen from 9 to 10 a.m. on SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM and 1220 AM.
 
King of the Block Party
Senior Connor King currently has 53 blocks in her time as a Redhawk. King needs three more blocks to tie 56 (Pat Colon, 1982-87) and crack the career top-10 blocks list. The record of 115 is held by Vera Roberts (1986-90). King is tied for the team lead with 18 this season.
 
That Was a Close One
The Redhawks are no strangers to close game this season. Southeast won its first one-possession game in Saturday's come-from-behind thriller at Tennessee Tech, 60-57. The Redhawks lost a pair of games by one-point against Idaho State and at Eastern Kentucky. The Redhawks are 3-2 in games decided by five points or less; 4-3 in 10 points or less.
 
It's Not Over Till It's Over
Southeast is 5-5 when trailing at halftime this season. The Redhawks have erased deficits of 10 or more points to come back and win in three games.
 
A Spark Off the Bench
Since the start of OVC play, Ashton Luttrull has come off the bench and provided a much needed spark to the Redhawk offense. Luttrull averages 14.2 minutes in five OVC games but puts up 9.4 points in those games. Her 40% 3-point shooting is tied for 13th in the league. She has six steals and only four turnovers.
 
Stepping Up
Bri Mitchell has come in and has more than taken over a vacancy in the Redhawk lineup left open by Olivia Hackmann. Mitchell ranks in the top 10 in league-only games with 16.3 points per game. On the season, Mitchell has 55 assists, 14 steals, shoots 39% from the field, and 79% from the free-throw line. Mitchell also averages the most minutes of all active players with 30.3 minutes per game. Mitchell has scored 10 or more points in 10 of her last 11 games.
 
What's My Age Again?
Southeast Missouri has had strong performances this season from three notable freshmen. Point guard Adrianna Murphy at started 15 of the 19 games she's played in, averages 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.9 steals a game. Imani Johnson averages 9.5 points in 18 games off the bench this season, earning double-digit points in 10 of those games. Most recently, Corneisha Henderson has come off the bench to average six points in the last five games.
 
Against the League
Of the 21 statistical categories listed on the OVC website for league-only games, the Redhawks rank in the top half in 16 and the top four in nine. Most notable, the Redhawks rank fourth with a +7.3 scoring margin, third in free throw percentage (.717), second in field goal percentage defense (.376), and fourth with a +2.8 rebounding margin.
 
There's No Place Like Home
Southeast is 6-2 in the Show Me Center this season. In home games, Southeast averages 74.1 points a game, 8.5 more than its opponents. Southeast shoots .432 on the Show Me Center floor. Southeast's six home wins matches the home win total from a season ago.
 
Put Me In, Coach
The Redhawks' bench has been big this season, putting up 29.4 points a game. Not only has the Redhawks' bench outscored opponent benches by 12.6 points a game, they are also outrebounding them by 4.9 boards a game. Imani Johnson has played a team-high 18 games off the bench, putting up 9.5 points per game. The Redhawks are 6-2 when the bench scores 30 or more points this season. A bench player has scored double-figure points 26 times this season.
 
Rebounding is What We Do Best
The Redhawks are among the best rebounding teams in the nation. Southeast Missouri ranks ninth nationally in total rebounds with 821 this season, which is second-most in the OVC to Morehead State (896). Southeast ranks 32nd in rebounds per game, averaging 43.21 a game. The Redhawks are 8-2 when they outrebound their opponents this season and have a +3.1 rebounding margin.