Lipscomb (1-2) vs. Southeast Missouri (1-1)

Game Information
Date: Monday, December 7, 2020
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Arena: Show Me Center 
Series: First Meeting
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (1-1 overall, 1-1 at SEMO; 0-0 OVC). Lennie Acuff (534-315 overall; 17-18 at LU).

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

Back to Work
Southeast Missouri (1-1) hosts Atlantic Sun Conference member Lipscomb (1-2) in its final non-conference home game Monday. 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 are available at GoSoutheast.com. Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Monday marks the first meeting between Southeast Missouri and Lipscomb. The Redhawks and Bisons will play a quick home-and-home series in a three-day span next week. SEMO returns the trip to Nashville, Tennessee two days later on Dec. 9.  

Home-and-Home
The Redhawks play a quick home-and-home series with Lipscomb in a three-day span. After hosting the Bisons Monday, Southeast Missouri will return the trip to Nashville, Tennessee two days later on Dec. 9.

OVC Opener Postponed
Southeast Missouri's Ohio Valley Conference opener at UT Martin has been postponed. The Redhawks and Skyhawks were scheduled to meet on Dec. 12. UTM paused its men's basketball activities due to NCAA testing protocols. The game will be rescheduled at a later date. 

Redhawks Drop Home-Opener
Southeast Missouri suffered its first loss of the season when it fell to longtime rival Southern Illinois, 87-79, in overtime on Dec. 2. SIU outscored SEMO, 28-11, at the free throw line and that was the difference. The Redhawks dropped to 23-7 in home-openers since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1991-92. SIU also snapped the Redhawks four-game winning streak in home-openers.

Shot Blockers
The Redhawks recorded seven blocks against Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). Just two games into its 2020-21 campaign, Southeast Missouri has already surpassed its season-best of six in 31 games a year ago -- at Morehead State (Jan. 30, 2020). SEMO posted a combined 12 blocks in its first two contests. The last time the Redhawks had that many blocks in the first two games of a season was 2007-08 (9 at Xavier, Nov. 10; 3 at Illinois State, Nov. 14).

Did You Say 50?
Southeast Missouri grabbed 50 rebounds against Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). SEMO outrebounded the Salukis 50-37 for a +13 margin. The Redhawks man-handled SIU, 18-4, on the offensive glass. SEMO last had 50 or more rebounds in a game vs. Southeastern Louisiana (50) on Dec. 6, 2014. The Redhawks became the third Ohio Valley Conference team to get a season-high 50 rebounds in a game this year.

Sharing the Basketball
The Redhawks assisted 21 of their 31 made field goals against Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). It was Southeast Missouri's highest number of assists in a game in 35 contests. The last time SEMO had over 20 assists was at Eastern Illinois (23) on Feb. 16, 2019.

Against the ASun
Lipscomb is a memeber of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The ASun is the third and final conference represented on Southeast Missouri's shortened non-conference schedule. The Missouri Valley Conference (Southern Illinois, Evansville, Indiana State) and Summit League (Kansas City) are the others. SEMO is 3-1 all-time against the ASun with a 1-0 record vs. Jacksonville, a 2-0 mark vs. North Alabama and a 0-1 record vs. Florida Gulf Coast. The Redhawks beat Jacksonville, 77-71, in their last game against an ASun opponent on Nov. 16, 2018.

Reed, Jr. Steps Up
Guard Eric Reed, Jr. led Southeast Missouri with 17 points vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 2) for his first career double-digit scoring performance as a Redhawk. Reed, Jr. drained three 3-pointers and scored 13 of his points in the second half. At one time, he scored eight-straight points to give SEMO a six-point cushion with a little over 11 minutes to play in regulation. 

Four in Double-Digits
Four Redhawks have scored double figures in both of Southeast Missouri's games this young season. Most recently, Eric Reed, Jr. (17), Chris Harris (15), Nolan Taylor (14) and Jordan Love (10) accomplished the feat. 

Nolan is Rollin'
Southeast Missouri big man Nolan Taylor put together another nice performance on the block against Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). Taylor pitched in 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes. He is SEMO's third-leading scorer with 12 points per contest.

Top Scorer
Chris Harris currently leads the Redhawks in scoring with 16.5 points per game. Harris has scored double figures in all four of his games at Southeast Missouri. Most recently, he finished with 15 points on 6-of-15 field goals against Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). Harris ranks fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring through two starts.

Akenten For Three
Nebraska transfer Nana Akenten is Southeast Missouri's second-leading scorer with 12.5 points per game. Akenten came off the bench in his first two games with the Redhawks. He leads SEMO with five 3-pointers made and ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with 2.5 made threes per contest. Akenten also leads the team with four blocks.

Career High in Rebounds
Southeast Missouri's top rebounder with nine boards per game, Nygal Russell established a new career-high with 11 rebounds vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). For Russell, it was the first double-digit rebound game of his career. The 11 boards surpassed his previous career-best of eight vs. Belmont on Mar. 2, 2019.

Experienced Russell
Nygal Russell has the most experience on Southeast Missouri's 2020-21 roster. Russell is playing his third season with the Redhawks as a redshirt-junior. He has scored 355 points, dished out 89 assists, knocked down 42 three-pointers, made 73 free throws, grabbed 180 rebounds and collected 36 steals in 61 games and 18 starts during his career.

First Career Points
Eric Reed, Jr., Nate Johnson and Dylan Branson scored their first career points at Southeast Missouri vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). Reed, Jr. notched 17 points, Johnson had six points, two blocks and three rebounds, and Branson added two points, four rebounds and three assists.