Southeast Missouri (13-5, 5-2 OVC) at Eastern Illinois (11-7, 5-2 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, January 25, 2020
Tip-off: 1 p.m., CT
Location: Charleston, Ill.
Arena: Lantz Arena
Series: SEMO leads, 26-20
Last Meeting: SEMO 80, EIU 54 | February 16, 2019 | Charleston, Ill.
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (68-70, Fifth Season). Matt Bollant (25-51, Third Season).
 
Media Information
Video: ESPN+
Radio: SEMO ESPN 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Twitter: @OffiicialSEMOWBB

Tipping Off 
The Southeast Missouri women's basketball team remains on the road for an early game at Eastern Illinois Saturday. Start time is set for 1 p.m., CT, at Lantz Arena.

Follow the Redhawks 
Fans can listen to Saturday's game live on the radio at SEMOESPN 1220 AM with Erik Sean calling the action. The broadcast will also be streamed at SEMOESPN.com and on the SEMOESPN app. Video can be accessed at ESPN+. Live stats are available at GoSoutheast.com. Twitter updates will be available at @OfficialSEMOWBB. 

Series History 
Southeast Missouri leads its all-time series against Eastern Illinois, 26-20. Last season the Redhawks swept the Panthers for the second-straight year. The last matchup between the two teams was on Feb. 16, 2019 when SEMO defeated EIU, 80-54, at the Lantz Arena. The Redhawks have won the last five meetings and are 6-2 against the Panthers under head coach Rekha Patterson. 

Scouting the Panthers
The Panthers are 11-7 this season with a 5-2 mark in conference play. EIU recently knocked off then-undefeated UT Martin, 74-70, Thursday. The Panthers two conference losses came at Belmont (Jan. 4) and against Tennessee Tech (Jan. 18). EIU averages 64.1 points, 36.4 rebounds and 11.3 assists per game in OVC play. In conference games, Karle Pace averages 19.3 points and 3.3 assists. Pace was named to the Preseason All-OVC Team along with Tesia Thompson. Freshman Lariah Washington has been named Freshman of the Week twice this season. Washington averages 9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. 

Redhawks Nationally Ranked
The Redhawks rank in the top 10 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (5th, 16.8) and rebounds per game (7th, 44.47). SEMO leads the OVC in assist/turnover ratio (1.08), assists (258), assists per game (15.2), fewest turnvoers (239), field goal percentage (41.8), offensive rebounds per game (16.8), rebounding margin (9.1), rebounds (756), rebounds per game (44.47), scoring offense (74.5), turnover margin (4.18) and turnovers per game (14.1). Individually, Taelour Pruitt ranks nationally in steals (68th, 38) and steals per game (78th, 2.24). She leads the league in both of those categories. Tesia Thompson is ranked in free throws made (44th, 72) and free throw percentage (59th, 82.8). 

Shephard Reaches Top 20
Guard Carrie Shephard ranks among the top NCAA women's basketball players in various categories. The Steele, Missouri native is ranked in 3-point field goals made (12th, 55), 3-point field goals per game (8th, 3.24) and 3-point field goal attempts (28th, 134). Shephard leads the OVC in each of these categories. 

Start of Conference Play
SEMO has started Ohio Valley Conference play with a 5-2 record. The Redhawks are currently on a four-game winning streak. This is the best start in conference play for the Redhawks since a 5-1 mark in the 2015-16 season. The Redhawks have recorded wins over Tennessee State (Jan. 11), Murray State (Jan. 18), SIUE (Jna. 23) and a sweep over Austin Peay (Jan. 2, Jan. 16). The two conference loses came against Murray State (Jan. 4) and Belmont (Jan. 9). SEMO has outscored its opponents 438-363 in the first six games, averaging a +12.5 differential. 

Non-Conference Play
The Redhawks finished their non-conferece slate with a 8-3 record. SEMO dropped games to Eastern Michigan (64-69, Nov. 19), Saint Louis (76-61, Dec. 3) and Western Illinois (97-91, Dec. 17). The Redhawks blew past SEC's Ole Miss (70-53, Dec. 14) and Harris-Stowe (106-64, Dec. 29), and beat Evansville (83-60, Nov. 10), Arkansas State (79-67, Nov. 13), Purdue-Fort Wayne (58-48, Nov. 21), Southern Illinois (79-65, Dec. 7) and Indiana State (68-55, Dec. 21). Carrie Shephard leads the team with 18.4 points and 3.7 three-pointers per game. SEMO was undefeated when leading at halftime and forced 15-plus turnovers in all but one contest during its non-conference season.

1,000 Point Club
Junior Tesia Thompson became just the 10th Redhawkin the Division I era to surpass 1,000-career points. She reached this milestone at Ole Miss (Dec. 14) in the first quarter. In her career, Thompson averages 15.8 points per contest. She was sidelined for three games earlier this season due to a concussion.  Olivia Hackmann (2012-2017) was the last Redhawk to score over 1,000 points.

SEMO Sweeps Austin Peay
Carrie Shephard scored a game-high 19 points and Southeast Missouri used a key run down the stretch to hold off Austin Peay in a 79-66 Ohio Valley Conference opening win Jan. 2 at the Dunn Center. It was the first time the Redhawks defeated the Governors in Clarksville under head coach Rekha Patterson. The Redhawks then forced a season-high 25 turnovers, resulting in a season-best 15 steals in an 81-43 victory over the Governors on Jan. 16. SEMO held APSU to a season-low 23 points in the first half of that game. It was the second-straight game SEMO held its opponent to 23 first-half points. 

Redhawks Topple Ole Miss
Southeast Missouri recorded a dominating 70-53 win over SEC member Ole Miss for its first road win over an SEC school in program history. The win was SEMO's second all-time against a SEC foe and first since the Redhawks beat Missouri, 90-71, at home on Nov. 24, 1998. The Redhawks started a season with wins in six of their first eight games for the first time since 1993-94.