Morehead State (8-6, 5-2 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (3-7, 1-3 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, January 16, 2021
Tip-Off: 4 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Arena: Show Me Center (7,000)
Series: MSU leads, 31-19
Last Meeting: MSU 90, SEMO 74 (Jan. 30, 2020 | Morehead, Ky.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (3-7 overall, 3-7 at SEMO; 1-3 OVC). Preston Spradlin (54-75 overall; 54-75 at MSU).
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 Morehead State
Southeast Missouri (3-7, 1-3) plays host Morehead State (8-6, 5-2) Saturday. Tip-off is set for 4 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 provided @SEMOMBB.
Redhawks Resume Play
Southeast Missouri's Department of Athletics paused men's basketball activities due to COVID-19 protocols on Jan. 8. As a result, SEMO did not play its Ohio Valley Conference games at Tennessee State (Jan. 9) and UT Martin (Jan. 11).
Early Date with Morehead State
The Redhawks were originally scheduled to host Murray State (Jan. 14) and Austin Peay (Jan. 16) this week. Southeast Missouri could not play Murray State Thursday because it was still on pause due to COVID-19 protocols. APSU then paused activities for the same reason and cannot make the trip to Cape Girardeau this weekend. SEMO decided to move its home date vs. Morehead State, initially scheduled in February, to Saturday. The Redhawks and Eagles will play after SEMO's women's game vs. Austin Peay. As for the home games vs. Murray State (Feb. 1) and Austin Peay (Feb. 16), those have been rescheduled in February.
More Schedule Changes
Southeast Missouri's road games at Tennessee State and UT Martin that the Redhawks couldn't play last week have also been rescheduled. SEMO will visit Tennessee State on Jan. 19 and UT Martin on Jan. 26. After Saturday's contest, the Redhawks will be on the road for a week. SEMO plays four games during that time with trips to Morehead State (Jan. 21) and Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 23) also in that stretch.
Game at Morehead State to Air on ESPNU
The Southeast Missouri at Morehead State game set for Jan. 21 will be televised live on ESPNU as part of the Ohio Valley Conference's 2020-21 ESPN basketball linear television schedule. SEMO and Morehead State mark the fourth game selected in the league's linear television package. That game is scheduled for 6 p.m., CT at Ellis T. Johnson Arena.
Series History
Saturday marks the 51st meeting between Southeast Missouri and Morehead State. MSU has won 16 of the last 19 matchups in the series. However, SEMO beat the Eagles twice in the previous four games they played. MSU won at the Show Me Center in seven of its last nine trips to Cape Girardeau and swept the two-game series a year ago.
Leading at Halftime
The Redhawks have led at halftime in six of its 10 games this season. Southeast Missouri recently held a 35-33 edge at the intermission at Ohio Valley Conference leader Belmont (Jan. 7). It was the first time SEMO led at the half in 10 meetings with the Bruins.
Homecourt Success
Two of Southeast Missouri's three wins have come at the Show Me Center this season. The Redhawks beat Lipscomb, 82-77, on Dec. 7 and Tennessee State, 83-79, in double overtime on Jan. 2. SEMO is averaging 82.5 points per game on its homecourt this year. The Redhawks are 2-2 overall at home this year.
Harris Update
Chris Harris was out of the starting lineup for the first time this season at Belmont (Jan. 7). Harris did not play due to a thumb injury he sustained during practice on Jan. 6. He is likely to play against Murray State Thursday.
First Double-Double Goes to Akenten
Nana Akenten became the first Southeast Missouri player to record a double-double this season when he scored a season-high 20 points and pulled down a season-best 11 rebounds at Belmont (Jan. 7). Akenten shot 7-of-17 from the field, made three 3-pointers and hit a near-perfect 3-of-4 free throws in that contest. It was the first time he scored 20 points in a game wearing a Redhawk uniform. Akenten is one of 25 Ohio Valley Conference players who have turned in at least one double-double this season.
First Career Start for Branson
Freshman Dylan Branson logged his first career start for the injured Chris Harris at Belmont (Jan. 7). Branson made 3-of-3 free throws and finished with four rebounds against the Bruins. Prior to that, he came off the bench in nine-straight games.
About Morehead State
Morehead State comes to Cape Girardeau as one of the hotter teams in the Ohio Valley Conference as of late. MSU is on a four-game winning streak and has won seven of its last nine contests. The Eagles have turned the ball over the most in the OVC this season and are last in the league in turnover margin (-4.69). MSU has committed 222 turnovers (17 per game) through 13 games this year. MSU boasts the conference's second best scoring defense and ranks second in blocks. The Eagles allow 64.9 points and average just under five (4.9) blocks per game. De'von Cooper is MSU's top scorer with 10.8 points a game. Johni Broome is the other Eagle averaging double figures in the scoring column with 10.3 points per contest.
All Have Been Close
Southeast Missouri has been in every game this season. The Redhawks have been outscored by a tight 2.2 margin, dropped three contests in overtime and one on a last second shot since its 2020-21 campaign began on Nov. 28. SEMO has lost only one time by double figures all season (77-66, at Belmont, Jan. 7).
Reed Jr. Back in the Starting Lineup
Eric Reed, Jr. scored double figures in two of his last three games since rejoining the starting lineup on Dec. 30 (at Tennessee Tech). Reed, Jr. scored 14 points at Tennessee Tech and followed that up with 13 vs. Tennessee State (Jan. 2). He enters Thursday's game as Southeast Missouri's second-leading scorer with 10.8 points per game.
Multiple Threes
Eric Reed, Jr. has gone six-straight games with at least two made threes. Reed, Jr. has made multiple 3-pointers in eight of his 10 contests this year. He buried a season-high three 3-pointers vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 2), Lipscomb (Dec. 7) and at Evansville (Dec. 15). Reed, Jr. ranks first on the team with 20 three-pointers in 2020-21.
3-Point Percentage
Southeast Missouri ranks fourth the Ohio Valley Conference with a .352 3-point field goal percentage. The Redhawks have made 74-of-210 three-pointers through 10 contests. SEMO is averaging 7.4 three-pointers a game. The Redhawks have made 20 more 3-pointers than what they made 10 games into their 2019-20 campaign (54).
Top Scorer
Chris Harris scored double figures for the eighth time in nine starts this season when he finished with 17 points against Tennessee State (Jan. 2). Harris, who leads Southeast Missouri and ranks fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference with 16 points a game, has scored over 20 points twice this year. He also ranks second on the team with 19 three-pointers made. Harris finished as SEMO's leading scorer five times thus far.
Board Certified
The Redhawks outrebounded their opponent six times this season. Southeast Missouri ranks fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a +3.8 rebounding margin and is outrebounding its opponents, 363-325. The Redhawks are also averaging 10.1 offensive rebounds per contest.
Give it to the Big Man
Redhawks big man Nolan Taylor ranks third on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg) and second in rebounding (5.3 rpg). Taylor has scored double figures in six of his 10 starts and just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine boards at Evansville (Dec. 15). Taylor established season-bests in points (16), assists (5) and minutes (28) against Lipscomb (Dec. 7). He previously scored 10 points vs. Kansas City (Nov. 28) and 14 vs. Southern Illinois (Dec. 2). Taylor is also the Redhawks third-best free throw shooter with a 65.9 percent clip (27-of-41). 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.
Seeing Double
The Redhawks currently have three players averaging double figures in the scoring column. Chris Harris leads the way with 16 points per game. Eric Reed, Jr. (10.8) and Nolan Taylor (10.1) round out that group.
OVC Top-Five
The Redhawks rank among the top five Ohio Valley Conference teams in several categories thus far. Southeast Missouri is fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.352), fourth in rebounding offense (36.3 rpg), fourth in rebounding defense (32.5 rpg), fifth in rebounding margin (+3.8), fourth in defensive rebounds (26.2 rpg), first in defensive rebound percentage (.806) and fourth in 3-point field goals made (7.4 per game).
Stealing the Show
DQ Nicholas leads Southeast Missouri with 15 steals. Nicholas ranks 14th in the Ohio Valley Conference in that category.
Up Next
Southeast Missouri begins a four-game road trip when it travels to Tennessee State on Jan. 19.
