Southeast Missouri (2-1) at Lipscomb (1-4)

Game Information
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Allen Arena (5,028)
Series: SEMO leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: SEMO 82, Lipscomb 77 (Dec. 7, 2020 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (2-1 overall, 2-1 at SEMO; 0-0 OVC). Lennie Acuff (534-317 overall; 17-19 at LU).

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

Round Two
Southeast Missouri (2-1) wraps up its quick home-and-home series with Lipscomb (1-4) Wednesday. Tip-off for the second matchup between these teams is set for 7 p.m., CT at Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

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 provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri is 1-0 against Lipscomb after beating the Bisons in the first-ever meeting between the teams Monday. SEMO defeated LU by a score of 82-77 at the Show Me Center.

First Home Win for Korn
Head Coach Brad Korn earned his first career win at the Show Me Center when Southeast Missouri beat Preseason Atlantic Sun Conference favorite Lipscomb (Dec. 7). The Redhawks led for the final 11:04 of the tight contest after Eric Reed, Jr.'s jumper gave them a 56-55 edge. SEMO then fought off the Bisons who pulled to within a point six times in the last 10 minutes of the game.

Strong Start
Southeast Missouri is 2-1 to start a season for the first time since 2016-17. That year, the Redhawks dropped its season-opener at Illinois before beating Hannibal-LaGrange (86-54) at home and Western Illinois (74-71) on the road. SEMO already has two wins over NCAA Division I opponents this young season -- 71-66 at Kansas City (Nov. 28); 82-77 vs. Lipscomb (Dec. 2). The Redhawks had only five wins against NCAA Division I foes in 2019-20. 

OVC Opener Postponed
Southeast Missouri's Ohio Valley Conference opener at UT Martin has been postponed. SEMO and UTM were initially scheduled to play Saturday, but the Skyhawks paused men's basketball activities due to NCAA testing protocols. The game will be rescheduled at a later date.

Big Improvement
The Redhawks second win of the 2020-21 campaign came vs. Lipscomb on Dec. 7. Last year, Southeast Missouri didn't pick up its second victory over an NCAA Division I opponent until early February (76-72, vs. Jacksonville State, Feb. 6).

Non-Conference Slate Winding Down 
The Redhawks will play the remainder of their shortened six-game non-conference slate on the road. After it travels to Lipscomb Wednesday, Southeast Missouri will make trips to Missouri Valley Conference schools Evansville (Dec. 15) and Indiana State (Dec. 22).

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 4-1 all-time against the ASun with a 1-0 record vs. both Lipscomb and Jacksonville, a 2-0 mark vs. North Alabama and a 0-1 record vs. Florida Gulf Coast. The Redhawks beat Lipscomb, 82-77, in their last game against an ASun opponent Monday.

Closing Out Late 
Southeast Missouri won two of its first three games by five points -- 71-66 at Kansas City (Nov. 28); 82-77 vs. Lipscomb (Dec. 7). In those two wins, SEMO led with five minutes remaining before closing out its victories. A year ago, the Redhawks led with five minutes left in regulation only six times and won four games in that situation. SEMO dropped four games by one possession in the final five minutes in 2019-20.

Nolan is Rollin'
Redhawksi big man Nolan Taylor has increased his scoring numbers each of his first three starts at Southeast Missouri. Most recently, Taylor established season-bests in points (16), rebounds (8), assists (5) and minutes (28) against Lipscomb (Dec. 7). Taylor, who leads SEMO with 7.3 rebounds per game and ranks second on the team with 13.3 points per contest, previously scored 10 points vs. Kansas City (Nov. 28) and 14 vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). He is also the Redhawks second-leading free throw shooter with a 73.7 percent clip (14-of-19). SEMO is the third Division I school Taylor has played basketball at. Prior to joining the Redhawks, he spent two seasons at Pepperdine and two at Cal Poly. Taylor's 2019-20 campaign was limited to 14 games due to injury.

Akenten Gets First Start
Nebraska transfer Nana Akenten made his first Southeast Missouri start against Lipscomb (Dec. 7). Akenten posted nine points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes. He enters Wednesday's matchup as the Redhawks leader in 3-pointers made (8). Akenten ranks fourth on the team in scoring (11.3 ppg), as well.

Seeing Double
The Redhawks currently have four players averaging double figures in the scoring column. Chris Harris leads the way with 17.3 points per game. Nolan Taylor (13.3 ppg), Eric Reed, Jr. (12 ppg) and Nana Akenten (11.3 ppg) round out the group. Harris also ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring.

Five and Counting
Chris Harris, who missed all but two games due to a knee injury inj 2019-20, has scored double figures in all five games he played at Southeast Missouri. A native of Antioch, Illinois, Harris scored a career-high 19 points vs. Lipscomb (Dec. 7). He also made multiple 3 pointers in four of those contests. Harris owns a career scoring average of 16.6 points in five games and three starts at SEMO.

10 Again
For the second time in three games this young season, Southeast Missouri made 10 three-pointers. The Redhawks shot 10-of-26 from 3- point range with Chris Harris, Nana Akenten and Eric Reed, Jr. knocking down three apiece. SEMO had 10 made threes in a game only one time in 2019-20. That happened exactly one year ago Monday -- 10, at Drake, Dec. 7, 2019. The Redhawks rank third in the Ohio Valley Conference in 3-point field goal percentage (26-of-68, .382).

Four in Double-Digits
Four Redhawks have scored double figures in all three games this 2020-21 season. Most recently, Chris Harris (19), Eric Reed, Jr. (19), Nolan Taylor (16) and DQ Nicholas (12) accomplished the feat vs. Lipscomb (Dec. 7).

Spark Plug
In the first time he was out of the starting lineup this season, guard Eric Reed, Jr. notched a season-best 19 points. Reed, Jr. came off the bench to shoot 8-of-10 from the field and a near-perfect 3-of-4 from 3-point range in 23 minutes. He averaged 18 points in his last two games alone. Reed, Jr. ranks third on the team with 12 points per contest.

Points Off Turnovers
Southeast Missouri is scoring 18 points per game off turnovers in the early going of the 2020-21 season. The Redhawks scored over 20 points off turnovers for the second time in three games when they had 23 vs. Lipscomb (Dec. 7). SEMO is forcing an average of 13 turnovers a game.

OVC Top-Five
The Redhawks rank among the top five Ohio Valley Conference teams in several categories thus far. Southeast Missouri is third in 3- point field goal percentage (.382), first in rebounding defense (31.3 rpg), third in rebounding margin (+6.0), second in blocks (4.3 bpg), second in assists (17.3 apg), fourth in steals (7.7 spg), first in assist/turnover ratio (52 assists, 31 turnovers, 1.4 ratio), fifth in defensive rebounds (26.7 rpg), first in defensive rebounding percentage (.842) and third in 3-point field goals made (8.7 per game).

Up Next
The Redhawks travel to Missouri Valley Conference member Evansville on Dec. 15. UE is presently winless at 0-3, but plays two more games (vs. Eastern Illinois, Dec. 9; at Saint Louis, Dec. 12) prior to its matchup with the Redhawks.