Southeast Missouri (3-5) at Drake (7-2)

Date: Saturday, December 7, 2019
Tip-Off: 5 p.m., CT
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Arena: Knapp Center (7,152)
Series History: Drake leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Drake 78, SEMO 51 (Nov. 17, 2006 / Fairbanks, Alaska)
Head Coaches: Rick Ray (83-145 overall; 46-85 at SEMO; 24-44 OVC). Darian DeVries (31-12 overall; 31-12 at Drake).

Media Coverage
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Video: ESPN+ (Larry Morgan, Adam Emmenecker)
Live Stats: GoDrakeBulldogs.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Southeast Missouri Notes

Redhawks Travel to Drake
Southeast Missouri (3-5) heads to Missouri Valley Conference member Drake (7-2) Saturday. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m., CT, at the Knapp Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Saturday's game live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will call the action. Video will be available on ESPN+ with Larry Morgan and Adam Emmenecker as the commentators. Live stats can be accessed at GoDrakeBulldogs.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Drake hook up for just the second time in 2019-20. The teams last met 13 years ago at the BP Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska. Drake won that game by a score of 78-51 on Nov. 17, 2006.

Against the Missouri Valley Conference
Drake is the first of two Missouri Valley Conference teams Southeast Missouri faces this season. SEMO holds an all-time record of 110-192 against the MVC. That record includes a 46-70 mark against SIU, 0-1 record vs. Drake, 5-10 record vs. Evansville, 2-9 mark vs. Bradley, 1-8 record vs. Illinois State, 0-2 record vs. Indiana State and 55-92 mark vs. Missouri State.

Perfect at the Free Throw Line
Freshman DQ Nicholas went a perfect 14-of-14 at the free throw line at Abilene Christian (Dec. 5). Nicholas led the Redhawks with a game-high 21 points, his second 20-point performance this season. He scored 16 of his points in the second half. Nicholas is the first Southeast Missouri player to make 14 free throws in a game since Denzel Mahoney went 14-of-15 and scored 34 points vs. Tennessee State (Mar. 1, 2017).

Redhawks Stumble at Abilene Christian
Southeast Missouri dropped a 73-64 decision at Southland Conference member Abilene Christian Thursday night. SEMO trailed, 33-23, at halftime before ACU heated up to make eight of its first 12 field goals and at hone time made six-straight to extend its lead to 50-31 with 14:42 left to play. The Redhawks closed the Wildcats lead to single digits on six occasions in the final five minutes, but couldn't get within fewer than eight points.

Knocking Them Down
The Redhawks made 21-of-22 free throws in the second half against Abilene Christian (Dec. 5). Southeast Missouri finished shooting a season-best 85.7 percent (24-of-28) at the free throw line in that game. The 24 free throws made were SEMO's  second-most this year.

Double-Digit Scorers
Southeast Missouri enters Saturday's matchup with three active players averaging double figures in the scoring column.   Alex Caldwell (10.9 ppg), Sage Tolbert (10.3 ppg) and DQ Nicholas (10 ppg) follow guard Chris Harris (15.5 ppg), who is presently out with a knee injury.

Free Throw Streak
DQ Nicholas and Alex Caldwell both carry free throw streaks into its game at Drake. Nicholas has made 14-straight and Caldwell has made 12 in a row. 

Caldwell Named to Cable Car Classic All-Tournament Team
Sophomore guard Alex Caldwell was named to this year's Cable Car Classic All-Tournament Team. Caldwell averaged 14.3points, two rebounds, two assists and 3.3 steals per game in three starts during the tournament. He also went a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line and scored double figures in all three contests.

November Wrap

Southeast Missouri closed out its first month of the season with a 66-51 win over Denver on Nov. 30. It marked the third year in a row where the Redhawks ended November with a victory.

Nice Defense
The Redhawks held Denver to just 51 points in their 66-51 victory on Nov. 30. It was the lowest point total Southeast Missouri held an opponent to since Chattanooga scored 42 against the Redhawks on Nov. 17, 2018. SEMO also limited the Pioneers to only 1-of-16 from 3-point range.

Familiar with the MVC
Rick Ray's first NCAA Division I coaching job was at Indiana State. Ray was an assistant coach there from 1997-2004, helping ISU to consecutive 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. In 1999-2000, the Sycamores compiled a 14-4 record in the Missouri Valley Conference and won the regular-season title. ISU then won the MVC Tournament the following season. The Sycamores upset No. 4 seed Oklahoma in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament. In addition, Ray was part of the ISU staff  that defeated perennial power Indiana in back-to-back seasons. Ray was also on Purdue's coaching staff with former  Southern Illinois coaches Matt Painter and Paul Lusk. He is 2-9 against MVC schools as a head coach (0-3 vs. Bradley; 0-2 vs. Evansville; 1-2 vs. Missouri State; 1-2 vs. Southern Illinois).

Harris Out This Week
Guard Chris Harris will not play in Southeast Missouri's games at Abilene Christian (Dec. 5) and Drake (Dec. 7)  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 five contests. Harris leads the Redhawks in scoring with 15.5 ppg. 

Double-Doubles
Southeast Missouri is tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference with three double-doubles this season. Quatarrius Wilson has two and Sage Tolbert has one for the Redhawks so 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
Skyler Hogan scored double figures a team-high five times this season. Alex Caldwell, Sage Tolbert and Quatarrius Wilson follow close behind with four each. Hogan (21), Caldwell (12), Tolbert (9) and Wilson (4) have combined for 46 double-digit scoring games.

3-Point Difference
'Southeast Missouri has made 37 three-pointers through eight games, fewest in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks are averaging 4.6 three-pointers per contest and made just 28 percent (37-of-132) from long range. SEMO's opponents have made 68 threes and hold a 204-111 advantage in points behind the 3-point line. 

Road Warriors
Southeast Missouri does not play at home 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). SEMO makes trips to Drake (Dec. 7), Youngstown State (Dec. 15), Ohio State (Dec. 17) and Southern Illinois (Dec. 21) next. The Redhawks' next home game is not until after Christmas when they host Missouri Baptist (Dec. 29).

Final Exams Approaching

After Saturday's game at Drake (Dec. 7), Southeast Missouri will break for final exams. This year's final exam schedule is from Dec. 9-12. The Redhawks will have an eight-day break before resuming non-conference action at Youngstown State (Dec. 15).

About Drake
Drake is off to a 7-2 start this season and has won six of its last seven games. The Bulldogs carry a three-game winning streak into Saturday's meeting with Southeast Missouri. Drake leads the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring defense (59.3 ppg allowed), field goal percentage defense (.392) and blocked shots (32). Roman Penn leads the MVC with 5.6 assists per game and Liam Robbins boasts a league-high 21 blocks. Anthony Murphy is the Bulldogs top scoring threat with 10.6 points a game.