Southeast Missouri (4-4) at Mississippi Valley State (2-7)

Date: Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Itta Bena, Miss.
Arena: Harrison HPER Complex (5,000)
Series History: MVSU leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: MVSU 82, SEMO 70 (Dec. 17, 2001 / Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Rick Ray (75-123 overall; 38-63 at SEMO; 19-31 OVC). Andre Payne (235-277 overall; 27-113 at MVSU).

Media Coverage
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM and ESPN 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Video: SWAC Digital Network
Live Stats: MVSUSports.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Southeast Missouri Notes
 

Redhawks Head South
Southeast Missouri (4-4) plays its second game in four days when it travels to Mississippi Valley State (2-7) for a midweek matchup Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT, at the Harrison HPER Complex.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Tuesday's game live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM and ESPN 1220 AM. Erik Sean will call the action. Video for Tuesday's game is available at the SWAC Digital Network. Live stats can be accessed at MVSUSports.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Against the SWAC
Southeast Missouri is 8-4 all-time against the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Redhawks have faced Alabama A&M (2-1), Alcorn State (2-0), Grambling (1-0), Jackson State (2-0), Mississippi Valley State (0-3) and Prairie View A&M (1-0) out of that conference in its basketball history.

Series History
This year marks the fourth meeting between Southeast Missouri and Mississippi Valley State. MVSU leads the all-time series by a count of 3-0. These teams last met 17 years ago. The Delta Devils beat the Redhawks, 82-70, on Dec. 17, 2001 in Cape Girardeau.

Last Time Out
Southeast Missouri fell at home for the first time this season when it dropped a 70-63 decision to Summit League member Western Illinois on Dec. 1. Skyler Hogan registered 18 points and Skyler Hogan turned in a double-double 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Redhawks. The game was tied, 27-27, at halftime. WIU later used a string of three consecutive 3-pointers to pull away from SEMO in the second half.

Home Record
Southeast Missouri is 2-1 at home this young season. Both of those wins came against non-Division I opponents. SEMO beat Quincy, 102-66, on Nov. 12 and Missouri S&T, 72-69, on Nov. 27. The Redhawks lost to Western Illinois, 70-63, on Dec. 1. 

Itta Bena
Mississippi Valley State is located in Itta Bena, Mississippi, a four-hour and 46-minute drive south from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The unique town's name derived from the Choctaw phrase iti bina, meaning "forest camp." Itta Bena initially developed as a trading center of an area of cotton plantations.

Winning November
The Redhawks wrapped up their first month of the season with a record of 4-3. Southeast Missouri won four of its last five games. It is the first winning record in November since the Redhawks went 5-2 in their first seven games of 2013-14.

Ray vs. the SWAC 
Head Coach Rick Ray owns a 5-2 record against teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Ray is 3-0 against Mississippi Valley State with all of those wins coming when he was the head coach at Mississippi State. He is also 0-2 vs. Alabama A&M, 1-0 vs. Alcorn State, 1-0 vs. Prairie View A&M and 1-0 vs. Jackson State.

Another Strong Week for Hogan
Skyler Hogan averaged 16 points per game in two starts last week. A native of Melbourne, Florida, Hogan began the week by scoring 14 points in 26 minutes in the Redhawks win over Missouri S&T (Nov. 27). Four days later, he dropped in a season-high 18 points in 28 minutes against Western Illinois (Dec. 1). For the week, Hogan shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the field and 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from 3-point range, while dishing out four assists and collecting one steal. He ranks second on the team in scoring with 11.1 points per game and has scored double figures in five of his last six starts. 

Tolbert Notches Double-Double
Freshman forward Sage Tolbert notched the first double-double of his career when he scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Western Illinois (Dec. 1). Tolbert shot 4-of-8 from the field in 26 minutes. He became the second Redhawk to get a double-double in as many games.

About Mississippi Valley State
After opening its season on a five-game losing streak, Mississippi Valley State has regrouped to win two of its last four contests. The Delta Devils beat Southeastern Louisiana (69-59 on Nov. 20) and Rust College (102-62 on Nov. 28) for their wins this season. MVSU is eighth in the Southwest Athletic Conference in scoring defense allowing 82.6 points a game. Dante Scott (14.2 ppg) and Jordan Evans (14 ppg) are the Delta Devils top scoring threats. 

A Look Ahead
After Tuesday's game at MIssissippi Valley State, Southeast Missouri returns home to host longstanding rival Southern Illinois Saturday. The Redhawks will then break for final exams before travelling to The Citadel on Dec. 15.

Defending the Three
Southeast Missouri enters the week ranked 25th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense. Opponents are shooting 27.3 percent against the Redhawks from behind the arc. The Redhawks rank second in the Ohio Valley Conference behind Murray State (21.2 percent) in that category.

Where They Rank
Ledarrius Brewer ranks among Ohio Valley Conference leaders in scoring (19th, 12.4 ppg), rebounding (11th, 6.8 ppg), defensive rebounds (6th, 6.1 rpg) and minutes played (t18th, 29.1 mpg). Sage Tolbert is 13th in the conference in rebounding (6.4 rpg), tied for 13th in field goal percentage (.500) and ninth in offensive rebounds (2.9 rpg). Alex Caldwell ranks eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.407), and Jonathan Dalton is ninth in assists (3.4 apg) and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.8). Skyler Hogan ranks tied for sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.414). 

Same Starting Five
The Redhawks have gone with the same five starters through their first eight games of the 2018-19 season. Guards Jonathan Dalton, Ledarrius Brewer and Skyler Hogan, and forwards Isaiah Gable and Sage Tolbert have started every contest. It is the first time Southeast Missouri went with the same five starters in each of its first eight games of a season under head coach Rick Ray.

The Defense Rests
Southeast Missouri ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring defense allowing 67.5 points per game in eight contests. Chattanooga's 42 points were the fewest allowed by SEMO this season. Murray State leads the league in that category with 60.2 points per game allowed. The Redhawks are also second in field goal percentage defense (.406). 

Starting Streak
Ledarrius Brewer has started 34-consecutive games dating back to last season. Brewer has scored in 28-straight starts. He also pitched in double figures in 25 of his last 29 contests.

On the Way to 100
Ledarrius Brewer is making his way closer to the 100 mark in career free throws and 3-pointers made. Brewer has drained 84 three-pointers and 86 free throws through 39 games and 35 starts as a Redhawk.

Give it Up for the Freshmen
Freshmen Alex Caldwell (79), Khalil Cuffee (15), Sage Tolbert (53), Nygal Russell (64) and Gabe McGlothan (41) combined for 237 of Southeast Missouri's 557 points through eight games. SEMO's freshmen have accounted for 42.5 percent of the scoring in that stretch.