Southeast Missouri (3-6) at Youngstown State (5-5)

Date: Sunday, December 15, 2019
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Youngstown, Ohio
Arena: Beeghly Center (5,300)
Series History: First Meeting
Head Coaches: Rick Ray (83-146 overall; 46-86 at SEMO; 24-44 OVC). Jerrod Calhoun (25-49 overall; 25-49 at YSU).

Media Coverage
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: YSUSports.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Head to Ohio
Southeast Missouri (3-6) opens a two-game road swing in Ohio when it visits Youngstown State (5-5) Sunday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT, at the Beeghly Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Sunday's game live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will call the action. Video will be available on ESPN+. Live stats can be accessed at YSUSports.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Horizon League member Youngstown State meet for the first time Sunday. YSU is the eighth school out of the 10-team Horizon League SEMO will face.

Against the Horizon League
The Redhawks are 11-9 all-time against the Horizon League. That mark includes a 1-1 record vs. Cleveland State, 2-2 mark vs. Green Bay, 2-0 record vs. IUPUI, 5-1 record vs. Milwaukee, 1-2 record vs. Northern Kentucky, 0-1 mark vs. Oakland and 0-2 record vs. Illinois-Chicago.

Ohio Born
Forward Isaiah Gable is Southeast Missouri's only player from Ohio. Gable is a native of Greenville, Ohio which is located 49 miles away from Dayton. He is averaging 4.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in nine games off the bench this year. 

Life on the Road
Southeast Missouri continues its rugged eight-game road stretch when it heads to Youngstown State. The Redhawks are searching for their first true road win this season. SEMO is 0-4 in such games and has dropped six-straight road contests dating back to last season. The Redhawks last road win was an 88-79 victory at Eastern Illinois on Feb. 16, 2019.

Current Road Trip
The Redhawks, who are on the road for over a month, hold a 1-4 record during their stretch that began on Nov. 27. Southeast Missouri went 1-2 at the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara, California and lost at both Abilene Christian (74-63, Dec. 5) and Drake (78-73, Dec. 7). SEMO's lone win came against Denver (66-51, Nov. 30) in California.

Nicholas Nabs First OVC Honor
Southeast Missouri guard DQ Nicholas was named Ohio Valley Conference Co-Freshman of the Week on Dec. 9. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Nicholas had a strong week for the Redhawks averaging 14 points and 4.5 rebounds in two games. He scored 21 points and made a perfect 14-of-14 free throws at Abilene Christian (Dec. 5). Nicholas scored 16 points and made all 14 of his free throws in the second half of that game. He then added seven points and five rebounds two days later at Drake (Dec. 7). Nicholas has scored over 20 points a team-high two times this year.

Back in Action
Southeast Missouri takes the court for the first time in eight days. The Redhawks have not played since Dec. 7 (at Drake). SEMO was off for its final exams as the fall semester ends this week.

Strong Showing
After averaging under five 3-pointers made per game (4.6) through its first eight contests of the 2019-20 campaign, Southeast Missouri drained a season-best 10-of-19 treys at Drake (Dec. 7). The Redhawks heated up to shoot 52.6 percent from long range for the game and 54.5 percent (6-of-11) in the first half alone. 

In the Buckeye State
The Redhawks have played seven of the 13 NCAA Division I schools in Ohio during their basketball history. Southeast Missouri is 2-10 all-time against those institutions. After facing Youngstown State and Ohio State, Akron, Kent State, Ohio University and Wright State will be the other Ohio teams SEMO has never played. 
vs. Bowling Green    0-2
vs. Cincinnati    0-2
vs. Cleveland State    1-1
vs. Dayton    0-1
vs. Miami (Ohio)    1-1
vs. Toledo    0-1
vs. Xavier    0-2

Ray vs. Ohio Schools
Rick Ray is 0-2 all-time against Ohio schools during his coaching career. Both of those matchups came with Ray as head coach at Southeast Missouri during the 2015-16 season. The Redhawks lost at Dayton (84-53) on Nov. 13 and fell to Bowling Green (79-52) on Dec. 8 during that year.

Solid Offense
Southeast Missouri scored the most points against Drake in the Knapp Center of any opponent this season when it dropped in 73 on Dec. 7. The Bulldogs, who were Co-Missouri Valley Conference Champions in 2018-19, did not allow more than 58 points in their first five home games before hosting the Redhawks. SEMO led Drake for over 30 minutes in that game.

Harris Out for Ohio Swing
Guard Chris Harris will not play in Southeast Missouri's games at Youngstown State (Dec. 15) and Ohio State (Dec. 17)  due to a knee injury. Harris sustained his injury during practice prior to the Redhawks matchup with The Citadel (Nov. 19). He missed SEMO's last seven contests. Harris leads the Redhawks in scoring with 15.5 ppg. 

Double-Doubles
Southeast Missouri is second in the Ohio Valley Conference with three double-doubles this season. Quatarrius Wilson has two and Sage Tolbert has one for the Redhawks thus far. Quatarrius Wilson, 12 points, 13 rebounds
    at Vanderbilt (Nov. 6)
Sage Tolbert, 13 points, 10 rebounds
    vs. Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 27)
Quatarrius Wilson, 10 points, 11 rebounds
    vs. Denver (Nov. 30)

Double Figure Games
Guards Skyler Hogan, Alex Caldwell and Sage Tolbert each lead the team with five double-digit games in 2019-20. Hogan (21), Caldwell (13) and Tolbert (10) have combined for a total of 44 double figure scoring games during their careers.

3-Point Difference
Southeast Missouri has made 47 three-pointers through nine games. The Redhawks are averaging 5.2 three-pointers per contest and made 31 percent (47-of-151) for a ninth-place ranking in the Ohio Valley Conference. Opponents have made 74 threes and hold a 222-141 (+81) advantage in points behind the 3-point line.

Road Warriors
Southeast Missouri is in an eight-game road trip that keeps the Redhawks out of Cape Girardeau for over a month. The Redhawks were in Santa Clara, California for the Cable Car Classic (Nov. 27, 29 & 30) over Thanksgiving. SEMO then played at Abilene Christian (Dec. 5). The Redhawks close out their lengthy stretch with trips to Drake (Dec. 7), Youngstown State (Dec. 15), Ohio State (Dec. 17) and Southern Illinois (Dec. 21). SEMO's next home game is not until after Christmas when it hosts Missouri Baptist (Dec. 29).

OVC Rankings 
Here are Southeast Missouri's ranking in the Ohio Valley Conference through nine games. Only those ranked in the top five are listed.
Team
4th in Defensive Rebounding Pct. (.741)
t5th in Defensive Rebounds (26.4 rpg)

Individual
Sage Tolbert
4th in Field Goal Percentage (.607)
t5th in Offensive Rebounds (2.6 rpg)

Quatarrius Wilson
t5th in Offensive Rebounds (2.6 rpg)

About Youngstown State
Youngstown State is at .500 with a 5-5 record this season. The Penguins have won four of their last seven games and most recently lost to Western Michigan (66-64) on Dec. 7. YSU has the Horizon League's second-best rebounder in Naz Bohannon. Bohannon is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game and leads the league with 37 offensive boards. Darrius Quisenberry is the Penguins top scorer with 15.7 points a game. Quisenberry is currently rates sixth in the Horizon League in scoring. As a team, YSU is third in the conference in team defense (69.8 ppg allowed), third in rebounding margin (+3.7), third in assist/turnover ratio (0.97, 112 assists/115 turnovers), first in offensive rebounds (13.9 rpg) and third in blocks (29).