Southeast Missouri (9-4, 1-1 OVC) vs. Belmont (7-6, 2-0 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2020
Tip-off: 5:15 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Arena: Show Me Center
Series: Belmont leads, 11-4
Last Meeting: Belmont 74, SEMO 65 | March 6, 2019 | OVC Tournament | Ford Center
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (64-69, Fifth Season). Bart Brooks (64-17, Third Season).
 
Media Information
Video: ESPN+
Radio: SEMO ESPN 1220 AM (Erik Sean & Jess Bolen)
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Twitter: @OffiicialSEMOWBB

Tipping Off 
The Southeast Missouri women's basketball team returns home to host the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions, Belmont, on Thursday. Start time is set for 5:15 p.m., CT, at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks are 4-0 at home this season.

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

Series History 
Southeast Missouri trails in its all-time series against Belmont, 11-4. The most recent matchup was at the Ford Center during the first round of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament where the Redhawks dropped a tough 74-65 decision on Mar. 6, 2019. The Bruins hold a six-game winning streak in the series. SEMO last beat Belmont,  81-74, on Dec. 31, 2016 in Cape Girardeau. SEMO is 1-7 against Belmont under head coach Rekha Patterson. Belmont is 9-1 against SEMO since joining the OVC in 2012. 

Scouting the Bruins
The Bruins are 7-6 this season with a 2-0 mark in conference play. Earlier this season, Belmont lost four-straight games against #18 Arkansas (Nov. 20, 91-60), Virigina Tech (Nov. 29, 60-58), #9 Maryland (Nov. 30, 90-26), and Toledo (Dec. 3, 53-48 OT). Belmont recently defeated Eastern Illinois, 69-45, on Jan. 11 to log its 13th consecutive victory at home. Belmont had four players with double-figure points in the win, including senior Ellie Harmeyer, who posted her third straight double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Bruins tallied a season-high 53 rebounds and 15 assists, as well as their largest scoring (+24) and rebounding (+29) margins of the season. Belmont returns 10 players from last year's championship squad, three of which were starters. Harmeyer, Maddie Wright and Maura Muensterman all started in the 2019 OVC title game.

Redhawks Nationally Ranked
The Redhawks are ranked in the top 20 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (7th, 17.0), rebounds per game (5th, 45.31), and rebound margin (19th, 9.6). SEMO leads the OVC in offensive rebounds per game (17.0), rebounds margin (9.6), rebounds (589), rebounds per game (45.31), scoring offense (74.6), and win-lost percentage (69.2). Individually, Carrie Shephard ranks in three-point field goals per game (7th, 3.38), three-point field goals attempted (37th, 104), and in three-point field goals made (11th, 44). Shephard ranks first in the OVC in these categories. 

Non-Conference Play
The Redhawks finished their non-conference 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 member 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 15.6 points per contest. She was sidelined for three games this season due to a concussion.  Olivia Hackmann (2012-2017) was the last Redhawk to score over 1,000 points.

SEMO Holds Off 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. SEMO handed APSU its first home loss of the season and locked down on the defensive end to bury the Governors. This is the first time the Redhawks have defeated the Governors at home under head coach Rekha Patterson. 

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.