Southeast Missouri (14-5, 6-2 OVC) at Morehead State (8-12, 4-4 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Tip-off: 4 p.m., CT
Location: Morehead, Ky.
Arena: Johnson Arena
Series: SEMO leads, 23-21
Last Meeting: MSU 82, SEMO 54 | Jan. 17, 2019 | Morehead, Ky.
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (69-70, Fifth Season). Greg Todd (96-82, Sixth 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 to face Morehead State Thursday. Start time is set for 4 p.m., CT, at Johnson Arena.

Follow the Redhawks 
Fans can listen to Thursday'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 Morehead State, 23-21. Last season the Redhawks dropped a 82-54 decision at Morehead State on Jan. 17, 2019. SEMO has lost 14 of its last 15 matchups against MSU, with the lone win in that stretch coming in Morehead, Kentucky on Jan. 7, 2016. The Redhawks are 1-4 against the Eagles under head coach Rekha Patterson.

Scouting the Eagles
The Eagles are 8-12 this season with a 4-4 mark in conference play. Morehead State recently swept Jacksonville State with wins on Jan. 2 (67-48) and Jan. 25 (69-55). The Eagles were also swept by OVC leader Tennessee Tech this season. Morehead State averages 65.5 points, 39.7 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game. Guard Tomiyah Alford averages 8.8 points and 3.9 rebounds. The Barnesville, Georgia native also has 41 steals and four blocks this season.

Redhawks Nationally Ranked
The Redhawks rank in the top 20 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (6th, 16.6), rebounds per game (8th, 44.32), rebound margin (17th, 8.9), and rebounds (12th, 842). SEMO leads the OVC in offensive rebounds per game (16.6), rebound margin (8.9), rebounds (842), rebounds per game (44.32), scoring margin (11.2), and scoring offense (74.2). Individually, Tesia Thompson ranks in free throw attempts (45th, 105), and free throws made (30th, 84). Carrie Shephard ranks in steals (61st, 43), and steals per game (68th, 2.26). 

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, 60), 3-point field goals per game (10th, 3.16) and 3-point field goal attempts (24th, 146). Shephard leads the OVC in each of these categories. 

Five-Winning Streak
Southeast Missouri is on a season-long five-game winning streak entering the week. SEMO has won four of its last five games on the road and hold a 7-4 record outside of Cape Girardeau. The five-game winning streak is currently the second-longest in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Start of Conference Play
SEMO has started Ohio Valley Conference play with a 6-2 record. The Redhawks are currently on a five-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 (Jan. 23), EIU (Jan. 25) 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 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 Redhawk in 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. Thompson is just shy of cracking into the top-10 career scoring records. 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.