Southeast Missouri (7-8, 1-1 OVC) at Murray State (10-3, 2-0 OVC)

Date: Thursday, January 4, 2018
Tipoff: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Murray, Ky.
Arena: CFSB Center (8,600)
Series History: MSU leads, 54-21
Last Meeting: SEMO 82, MSU 69 (Feb. 23, 2017 / Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Rick Ray (64-110 overall; 27-50 at SEMO; 12-22 OVC). Matt McMahon (43-34 overall; 43-34 at MSU; 20-14 OVC).

Media Coverage
Radio: SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM, Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Video: OVC Digital Network
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Head to Rival Murray State 
Southeast Missouri (7-8, 1-1) plays its first game of the New Year when it travels to rival Murray State (10-3, 2-0) Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT, at the CFSB Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Thursday's game on the radio at ESPN 92.9 FM and Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will call the action. Video can be accessed live online at the OVC Digital Network. Live stats are available at GoRacers.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Rivals Southeast and Murray State meet for the 76th time Thursday. MSU holds a 54-21 lead in the all-time series which dates back to 1930-31. The Redhawks have played the Racers more than any school in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast beat MSU, 75-74, in Cape Girardeau and, 88-79, in Murray last season, sweeping the Racers for the first time in 74 years. The Redhawks beat MSU a total of six times at the CFSB Center and own the most wins of any opponent in that facility.

First OVC Win
The Redhawks ended a season-long four-game losing streak when it beat Tennessee State, 77-65, on Dec. 31. Southeast picked up its first win since Dec. 9 (75-69, at Southern Illinois) and wrapped up December with an even 4-4 record. The Redhawks won by double figures for the fourth time this season.

Tough Test Ahead
Southeast's first road trip in Ohio Valley Conference play features matchups with Murray State (Jan. 4) and Austin Peay (Jan. 6). Both MSU and APSU are 2-0 in league play. The Racers lead the OVC in scoring (82.2 ppg), scoring margin (+16.5) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4). Meanwhile, the Governors are first in the conference in steals (8.6 spg) and turnover margin (+2.79). MSU's Jonathan Stark, the OVC Preseason Player of the Year, ranks third among league individuals in scoring (17.5 ppg) and APSU's Terry Taylor is ninth with 15.2 points per contest.

Let's Get Another
The Redhawks enter Thursday's game with a two-game winning streak in their series against Murray State. If Southeast wins, it will mark the first time in the Redhawks NCAA Division I era where it beat the Racers three times in a row. That has happened only once in the series when Southeast won four-straight against MSU from 1942-44.

Redhawks vs. Racers
Southeast is 12-43 all-time against Murray State during its NCAA Division I era (since 1991-92). The Redhawks beat the Racers, 67-56, in the 2000 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship to earn their only NCAA Tournament berth in program history.

Last Time Out
The Redhawks overcame a slow start and used a big second half to upend Tennessee State, 77-65, on Dec. 31. Southeast made five of its first seven field goals to start the second half and went on a 21-3 run after TSU pulled to within five points. The Redhawks scored eight of their points during that surge at the free throw line with six in a row coming from Denzel Mahoney after a wild play. Christian Mekowulu and Mahoney each went for the ball following a missed layup by Mekowulu and were tied up along the baseline underneath the Tigers basket. Some extracurricular activity ensued resulting in Armani Chaney being whistled for a personal foul and both Mekowulu and Ken'Darrius Hamilton each being issued technical fouls. Mahoney went to the free throw line to shoot six free throws once things were sorted out. He made all six of his attempts stretching the Redhawks lead to 66-44 with 7:17 on the clock.

Career First
Denzel Mahoney scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Southeast in its first Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season over Tennessee State (Dec. 31). Mahoney shot 4-of-8 from the field and buried 12-of-13 free throws in 34 minutes. It was the Redhawks fourth double-double of the season and first of Mahoney's career. 

Forty-One for Mahoney
Denzel Mahoney scored double figures for the 41st time in his career when he finished with 22 points vs. Tennessee State (Dec. 31). Mahoney is averaging 20.5 points per game in Ohio Valley Conference play and ranks second in scoring in conference games behind Murray State's Jonathan Stark (24 ppg). 

Brewer Time
Freshman Ledarrius Brewer had a big week to open Ohio Valley Conference play. Brewer averaged 18.5 points and three rebounds, while knocking down eight 3-pointers in his first two career OVC starts. He opened the week by dropping in a career-high 21 points and draining 6-of-9 three-pointers in his first career OVC start against Belmont (Dec. 28). Three days later, Brewer finished with 16 points, six rebounds and a career-high three blocks in Southeast's win over Tennessee State. He enters the week ranked 21st in the OVC in scoring and ninth in 3-point field goals made (2.1 per game).

12 and Counting
Denzel Mahoney has scored double figures in 12-straight games. Mahoney recently turned in a double-double 22 points and 11 rebounds against Tennessee State (Dec. 31). It is the longest double-digit game scoring streak of Mahoney's career. He led the Redhawks in scoring during 10 of his 15 starts this year.

Top of the Conference
Southeast is first in the Ohio Valley Conference in 3-point field goal percentage. The Redhawks are shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc through 15 games. Southeast's 130 made threes are second behind Belmont's 173. Ledarrius Brewer (32) and Denzel Mahoney (24) have combined for 56 three-pointers made this season.

Redhawks Grab Lead
Daniel Simmons' 3-pointer with 4:09 left in the first half against Tennessee State (Dec. 31) gave the Redhawks their first lead in over two games. Southeast went a period of 124:30 without a lead prior to that shot.

Attempted 3s
The Redhawks attempted a season-high 35 three-pointers against Tennessee State (Dec. 31). The 35 three-point field goal attempts are third-most in a game in the Ohio Valley Conference this season. Southeast last shot 35 three-pointers against Central Baptist (17-of-35) vs. Central Baptist on Nov. 11, 2013.

OVC Scoring Leader
Sophomore guard/forward Denzel Mahoney leads the Ohio Valley Conference with 18.9 points a game. Mahoney is also 11th in free throw percentage (.813), third in 3-point field goal percentage (.444), and 17th in minutes played (30.1 mpg). He has scored double figures a total of 41 times in his career.

OVC Rankings
The Redhawks rank among the top five in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring offense (5th, 74.8 ppg), free throw percentage (3rd, .742), 3-point field goal percentage (1st, .381), assist/turnover ratio (4th, 1.2), defensive rebounding percentage (4th, 72.8) and 3 point field goals made (2nd, 8.7 per game). Individually, Denzel Mahoney leads the league in scoring (18.9 ppg) and rates third in 3-point field goal percentage (.444), and Jonathan Dalton is third in assists (5.1 apg), and second in assist/turnover ratio (2.8). Daniel Simmons ranks fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.438).

Active Streaks
Denzel Mahoney has started 48-consecutive games. Mahoney scored in 47 contests during his college career. He opened the season with 21 points against Missouri Baptist (Nov. 10) and 25 at Louisiana Tech (Nov. 13), and scored a career-high 27 vs. Hannibal-LaGrange (Nov. 28).