Southeast Missouri (3-6, 1-2 OVC) at Belmont (10-1, 4-0 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, January 7, 2021
Tip-Off: 6 p.m., CT
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Curb Event Center (5,000)
Series: Belmont leads, 9-0
Last Meeting: BEL 89, SEMO 64 (Jan. 9, 2020 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (3-6 overall, 3-6 at SEMO; 1-2 OVC). Casey Alexander (173-128 overall; 36-8 at BEL).

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

Redhawks Head to OVC Leader Belmont
Southeast Missouri (3-6, 1-2) travels to Ohio Valley Conference leader Belmont (10-1, 4-0) Thursday. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m., CT at the Curb Event 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 BelmontBruins.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Busy Stretch Ahead
Southeast Missouri will play five games in the next nine days. SEMO opens a three-game road trip with two games in the Music City this week -- at Belmont (Jan. 7); at Tennessee State (Jan. 9). The Redhawks road matchup at UT Martin, postponed from its initial Dec. 12 date, has been rescheduled for Jan. 11. After that, SEMO returns home to host Murray State (Jan. 14) and Austin Peay (Jan. 16).

First OVC Win
The Redhawks gave Brad Korn his first career Ohio Valley Conference win when they pulled out a gritty 83-79 double overtime victory over Tennessee State (Jan. 2). Southeast Missouri started a New Year with a win for the first time  since 2013 when it beat Austin Peay, 86-84, on Jan. 3. Last year, SEMO did not get its first league win until Feb. 6, 2020 (76-72, vs. Jacksonville State).

Series History
Belmont is the only Ohio Valley Conference team Southeast Missouri hasn't beaten in its program history. The Bruins are 9-0 all-time against SEMO since joining the league in 2012-13. This year marks the fifth time the teams meet at the Curb Event Center. Belmont is 65-4 in conference games on its home court.

Free Throws Everywhere
Southeast Missouri tied a single-game program record when it made 40 free throws in 51 attempts to key its double overtime win over Tennessee State (Jan. 2). The Redhawks outscored the Tigers, 40-22, in that contest. SEMO's 40 free throws made and 51 attempts are both second in the nation behind Georgia Tech's 41 free throws made and 59 attempts vs. Georgia State on Nov. 25.

Nicholas Rises
Guard DQ Nicholas scored a season-high 21 points and made a career-best 17-of-19 free throws to lead Southeast Missouri against Tennessee State (Jan. 2). Nicholas made his first 15 free throws of the game and did not miss his first free throw until the 3:51 mark of the first overtime period. His 17 free throws made are most of any NCAA Division I basketball player in a game this season.

We Did It!
After losing three games in overtime and one on a last second shot, Southeast Missouri went to overtime again, but this time was victorious. The Redhawks overcame a nine-point deficit with 2:03 left in regulation and tied the game on a pair of DQ Nicholas free throws to force overtime against Tennessee State (Jan. 2). It took a second overtime period to decide SEMO's dramatic 83-79 win that was capped by a pair of free throws from Nana Akenten with one second on the clock. 

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 is the only team in the Ohio Valley Conference that has not lost a game by double figures to this point of the season. The Redhawks largest margin of defeat was nine (72-63) at Tennessee Tech (Dec. 30).    

About Belmont
Belmont became the first Ohio Valley Conference team to 10 wins this season when it beat UT Martin, 90-69, on the road on Jan. 2. The Bruins enter Thursday's matchup at 10-1 overall and 4-0 in the OVC. Belmont is on a league-best seven-game winning streak and suffered its only loss of the season at home vs. Samford (96-83) on Dec. 5. Luke Smith (15.9 ppg) and Nick Muszynski (15.5 ppg) are the Bruins top scoring threats. Belmont leads the OVC in free throw percentage (.742) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1). The Bruins are also second in the conference with a total of 90 three-pointers made (8.2 per game).

Reed Jr. Back in the Starting Lineup
Eric Reed, Jr. scored double figures in each of his last two games since rejoining the starting lineup on Dec. 30. 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 11.1 points per game.

Multiple Threes
Eric Reed, Jr. has gone five-straight games with at least two made threes. Reed, Jr. has made multiple 3-pointers in seven of his nine 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 second on the team with 18 three-pointers in 2020-21.

Over 80
Southeast Missouri scored over 80 points for the second time this season in its 83-79 double overtime win over Tennessee State (Jan. 2). SEMO's season-high 83 points came after the Redhawks went four-straight games scoring 67 or less points.

3-Point Percentage
Southeast Missouri ranks fourth the Ohio Valley Conference with a .360 3-point field goal percentage. The Redhawks have made 67-of-186 three pointers through nine contests. SEMO is averaging 7.4 three-pointers a game. The Redhawks have made 20 more 3-pointers than what they made nine games into their 2019-20 campaign (47).

Nice Improvement
Southeast Missouri, which was 11th in the Ohio Valley Conference in free throw percentage prior to its game vs. Tennessee State (Jan. 2), enters the week at ninth in that category. SEMO shot 40-of-51 free throws for 78.4 percent and increased its free throw percentage from .623 to .659 in just one game.

+18 Free Throw Margin
In their latest win over Tennessee State (Jan. 2), the Redhawks held a +18 margin at the free throw line. Southeast Missouri outscored TSU, 40-22, at the charity stripe. The last time the Redhawks outscored an opponent by a +18 margin at the free throw line was vs. Mid-Continent (42-24) on Nov. 22, 2013. 

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 seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference with 16 points a game, has scored over 20 points twice this year. He also leads the Redhawks with 19 three-pointers made. Harris finished as SEMO's leading scorer five times thus far. 

Working Overtime
The Redhawks went to overtime four times in nine games this year. Southeast Missouri lost at home to Southern Illinois (87-79) on Dec. 2 and at Lipscomb (80-74) on Dec. 9. The Redhawks also fell to Evansville (66-63) on the road on Dec. 15 and beat Tennessee State (83-79) at home on Jan. 2. SEMO was involved in only one overtime game in 31 contests last season. SEMO's three overtimes against non-conference foes were the most in program history. The Redhawks four overtimes overall are their most in a season since they played five overtime games in 1997-98.

Board Certified
The Redhawks outrebounded their opponent five times this season. Southeast Missouri ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a +3.7 rebounding margin and is outrebounding its opponents, 322-289. The Redhawks are also averaging nearly 10 (9.9) offensive rebounds per contest.

Stealing the Show
DQ Nicholas leads Southeast Missouri with 14 steals. Nicholas ranks 12th in the Ohio Valley Conference in that category.

Three Wins vs. NCAA Division I Foes 
The Redhawks third win of the 2020-21 campaign came vs. Tennessee State on Jan. 2. Last year, Southeast Missouri had only five wins against NCAA Division I teams. Three of those victories were in Ohio Valley Conference play, while the other two were against Purdue Fort Wayne and Denver in non-league action.

Give it to the Big Man
Redhawks big man Nolan Taylor ranks third on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg) and second in rebounding (5.3 rpg). Taylor has scored double figures in six of his first nine 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 four players averaging double figures in the scoring column. Chris Harris leads the way with 16 points per game. Eric Reed, Jr. (11.1), Nolan Taylor (10.8 ppg) and DQ Nicholas (10.6) 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 (.360), fourth in rebounding defense (32.1 rpg), fourth in rebounding margin (+3.7), fifth in defensive rebounds (25.9 rpg), first in defensive rebound percentage (.812) and fourth in 3-point field goals made (7.4 per game).

Four in Double-Digits
Four Redhawks have scored double figures in four games this 2020-21 season. Most recently, DQ Nicholas (21), Chris Harris (17), Nolan Taylor (14) and Eric Reed, Jr. (13) accomplished the feat vs. Tennessee State (Jan. 2).

Up Next
Southeast Missouri heads to Tennessee State on Jan. 9. The Redhawks and Tigers meet for the second time in a week. Tip is set for 4 p.m., CT at the Gentry Center.