Southeast Missouri (15-5, 7-2 OVC) at Eastern Kentucky (8-12, 2-7 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2020
Tip-off: 12:30 p.m., CT
Location: Richmond, Ky.
Arena: MacBrayer Arena
Series: EKU leads, 30-16
Last Meeting: SEMO 52, EKU 42 | Jan. 19, 2019 | Morehead, Ky.
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (70-70, Fifth Season). Samantha Williams (8-12, First 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 wraps up its four-game road trip at Eastern Kentucky Saturday. Start time is set for 12:30 p.m., CT, at McBrayer 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 trails its all-time series against Eastern Kentucky, 30-16. Last season the Redhawks defeated the Colonels, 52-42, on Jan. 19, 2019. SEMO has won the last three matchups, and is currently 3-2 against EKU under head coach Rekha Patterson. This will be the third straight game the Redhawks face the Colonels in Richmond.

Scouting the Colonels
The Colonels are 8-12 this season with a 2-7 mark in conference play. Eastern Kentucky has been swept by OVC leader Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State this season, also dropping games to Belmont (Jan. 16), Eastern Illinois (Jan. 9), and UT Martin (Jan. 30). The Colonels recorded wins over SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 11) and Tennessee State (Jan. 18). EKU averages 58.8 points, 38.9 rebounds and 6.1 three-pointers per game. 

Redhawks Nationally Ranked
The Redhawks rank in the top 20 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (7th, 16.4), rebounds per game (9th, 44.2), rebound margin (20th, 8.7), and rebounds (18th, 884). SEMO leads the OVC in offensive rebounds per game (16.4), rebound margin (8.7), rebounds (884), rebounds per game (44.2), scoring margin (11.0), scoring offense (73.9), and win-lost percentage. Individually, Tesia Thompson ranks in free throw attempts (45th, 112), and free throws made (30th, 90). 

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 (10th, 64), 3-point field goals per game (7th, 3.2) and 3-point field goal attempts (28th, 151). Shephard leads the OVC in each of these categories. The redshirt-senior also leads the OVC in steals (44), and steals per game (2.2).

Six-Game Winning Streak
Southeast Missouri is on a season-long six-game winning streak going into Saturday's matinee. SEMO has won five of its last six games on the road and holds a 8-4 record outside of Cape Girardeau. The six-game winning streak is currently the longest in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Start of Conference Play
SEMO has started Ohio Valley Conference play with a 7-2 record. The Redhawks are currently on a six-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), Morehead State (Jan. 30) 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. 

Block Party
Redshirt-junior LaTrese Saine registered 35 blocks this season, landing her tied for ninth among the school's single-season leaders. Chandra Brown holds the record with 49 blocks in a single season. Saine has 95 blocks in her career, putting her fifth among SEMO's career leaders.

Shephard Drains Threes
Carrie Shephard has made 64 three-pointers this season and ranks sixth among SEMO's single-season leaders. Shephard set the single season record with 73 made three-pointers a year ago. The Steele, Missouri native is currently shooting 42.4 percent (64-151) from beyond the arc. Shephard made 137 three-pointers in her career thus far and stands fourth on SEMO's all-time career list. Julie Meier (1991-1995) holds the record with 174 three-pointers made.

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 15.7 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. 

Thompson Scores Big
Junior Tesia Thompson has 1,207 points in her career at Southeast Missouri. Thompson is 10th all-time on the school's career scoring list. Gray C. Harris (1992-1996) holds the scoring title with 2,176 career-points. Thompson currently has 290 points this season, averaging 17.1 per contest. 

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.

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.