Southern Illinois vs. Southeast Missouri (1-0)

Game Information
Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Arena: Show Me Center 
Series: SIU leads, 71-46
Last Meeting: SIU 64, SEMO 45 (Dec 21, 2019 | Carbondale, Ill.) 
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (1-0 overall, 1-0 at SEMO; 0-0 OVC). Bryan Mullins (16-16 overall; 16-16 at SIU).

Follow the Redhawks
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)

Redhawks Host Southern Illinois Wednesday
Longtime rivals Southeast Missouri (1-0) and Southern Illinois hook up in the Redhawks home-opener Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m., CT at the Show Me Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM with Erik Sean calling the action. Video can be accessed online at ESPN+.Live stats available at GoSoutheast.com and Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois meet for the 118th time on the hardwood Wednesday. SIU leads the all-time series, 71-46, and has won 18 of the previous 22 matchups between these teams. Wednesday's game is just the second athletic event on SEMO's campus since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March.

Former Salukis to Head Coaches
Brad Korn (1999-2004) and Bryan Mullins (2006-09) each played at Southern Illinois before reaching their longterm goals of becoming head coaches. Korn was part of three Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championships and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Mullins set school records for assists and steals and was point guard for SIU's NCAA Tournament teams in 2006 and 2007, and NIT team in 2008. He is a member of the Saluki Hall of Fame.

Mullins Will Not Coach Wednesday
Southern Illinois head coach Bryan Mullins tested positive for COVID-19 and is asymptomatic. In accordance with Illinois state and local health guidelines, Mullins is in isolation for 10 days. SIU paused team activities on Nov. 12 and no student-athletes have tested postive for COVID-19 since that time. Brendan Mullins will serve as the Salukis acting head coach in Mullins' absence.

Korn Gets First Win
Brad Korn picked up his first career win as a head coach when Southeast Missouri hung on to beat Kansas City, 71-66, at the Negro Baseball League Museum Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 28. Korn became the first to win his debut game as a SEMO head coach in the Redhawks NCAA Division I era (since 1991-92). Carroll Williams was the last to win his first game as a SEMO head coach vs. Missouri Baptist (96-65) on Dec. 1, 1976.

Fun Fact
Brad Korn was 4-1 against Southeast Missouri when he was a player at Southern Illinois. The only time SEMO beat the Salukis with Korn on their roster was Dec. 5, 2000 (87-84, Cape Girardeau). Korn scored six points and had his first career dunk in a 92-80 win over the Redhawks on Dec. 22, 2001.

Welcome to SEMO
Five players took the court for the first time at Southeast Missouri at Kansas City (Nov. 28). Eric Reed, Jr., Nolan Taylor, Nana Akenten, Nate Johnson and Dylan Branson each made their SEMO debuts. Taylor, Reed, Jr. and returnee Chris Harris all made their first career starts against the Roos.

Home-Openers
The Redhawks are 23-6 all-time in home-openers since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1991-92. Southeast Missouri opened its home slate with a win in seven of the last eight years and posted victories in 14 of their previous 17 home-opening contests. SEMO has won four-straight home-openers.

Against the MVC
Half of Southeast Missouri's shortened six-game non-conference slate is made up of Missouri Valley Conference schools. Southern Illinois is the first of the three MVC opponents to face the Redhawks Wednesday. SEMO is scheduled to travel to both Evansville (Dec. 15) and Indiana State (Dec. 22) later this month. The Redhawks are 109-194 all-time against the MVC. Here are SEMO's records vs. Valley opponents.
vs. Southern Illinois    46-71
vs. Drake    0-2
vs. Evansville    5-10
vs. Bradley    2-9
vs. Illinois State    1-8
vs. Indiana State    0-2
vs. Missouri State    55-92

Russell Seals It
Nygal Russell made two huge 3-pointers in the last 57 seconds and scored the final eight points of the game to nail down Southeast Missouri's first win of the season over Kansas City (Nov. 28). Russell drained the first of that pair of clutch threes to put the Redhawks ahead, 68-64, after KC made it a one-point game. Then, following two made free throws by the Roos which narrowed SEMO's lead to 68-66 with 33 seconds remaining, Russell delivered the knockout punch with his long 3-pointer as the shot clock expired. That make gave the Redhawks a 71-66 lead with two seconds left. On the final play of the game, Russell intercepted the inbounds pass to put the win on ice. For the game, he scored 14 points on 3-of-5 from the field and 5-of-8 from the free throw line. He also grabbed seven rebounds, had two blocks and collected two steals. 

Harris Nets Career-High
In his first career start and his first basketball game in 384 days, guard Chris Harris put up a game and career-high 18 points at Kansas City (Nov. 28). Harris shot 5-of-9 from the field, knocked down three 3-pointers and made 5-of-11 free throws in his 2020-21 debut. He also dished out four assists and grabbed three rebounds in 35 minutes. Harris last played on Nov. 10, 2019 -- vs. Purdue Fort Wayne -- a game which he scored 16 points and made the game-winning 3-pointer off the bench. Harris was limited to just two games due to a knee injury in 2019-20. He has scored double figures in all three games he played as a Redhawk. 

Akenten Produces
Nebraska transfer Nana Akenten, who sat out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA Division I transfer regulations, gave Southeast Missouri a huge lift off the bench during his first game in a Redhawk uniform. Akenten scored 16 first-half points, made a game-high four 3-pointers and banked in a beyond halfcourt shot at Kansas City (Nov. 28). He shot 50 percent (6-of-12) from the field, grabbed six rebounds, dished out two assists, collected three steals and had two blocks in 32 minutes. Akenten finished with 17 points for the game.  

Season-Opening Road Win
For the first time in its NCAA Division I era, Southeast Missouri won a season-opener outside of Cape Girardeau when it beat Kansas City, 71-66, on Nov. 28. SEMO started a season with a win over an NCAA Division I opponent for the first time in 16 years. The last time that happened was when the Redhawks edged Green Bay, 63-62, on Nov. 21, 2003.

Streak Ended
With its win at Kansas City on Nov. 28, Southeast Missouri snapped an 18-game road losing streak. SEMO last won a road game at Eastern Illinois (88-79) on Feb. 16, 2019.

Getting to the Free Throw Line
Southeast Missouri attempted 35 free throws against Kansas City (Nov. 28). That total was one away from tying the Redhawks season-high of 36 free throw attempts in 2019-20 (vs. SIUE, Feb. 15). Seven of the nine Redhawks who played against the Roos went to the free throw line. SEMO shot 21-of-35 for the game.

Taylor Notches Double-Digits
Cal Poly transfer Nolan Taylor put together a nice game underneath the basket in his first start with Southeast Missouri. Taylor scored 10 points and tied a game-high seven rebounds in 25 minutes. He went a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line, also a game-high.

Strong from Long Range
After just one game this season, Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in 3-point field goal percentage. SEMO made 10-of-23 three-pointers at a 43.5 percent clip at Kansas City (Nov. 28). Nana Akenten (4), Chris Harris (3) and Nygal Russell (3) accounted for those makes. The Redhawks already matched their season-high in 3-point field goals made from 2019-20 (10 vs. Drake, Dec. 7, 2019). SEMO last made 10 threes in a season-opener at Illinois (10-of-24) on Nov. 11, 2016.

Redhawks Get Five Blocks in Opener
Southeast Missouri recorded five blocks in its season-opener at Kansas City (Nov. 28). Nana Akenten and Nygal Russell each had two apiece, while Nate Johnson added one. SEMO had at least five blocks on only two occasions in 31 games last season. The Redhawks season-high in blocks during the 2019-20 campaign was six at Morehead State (Jan. 30).