Youngstown State (0-1) vs. Southeast Missouri (1-0)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, November 13, 2021
Tip-Off: 5:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Facility: Show Me Center (7,000)
Series: YSU leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: YSU 65, SEMO 50 (Dec. 15, 2019 | Youngstown, Ohio)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (12-16 overall, 12-16 at SEMO; 9-11 OVC). Jerrod Calhoun (177-110 overall; 53-72 at YSU).

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

Redhawks Host Youngstown State 
Southeast Missouri (1-0) hosts Horizon League member Youngstown State (0-1) in its home-opener Saturday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m., CT at the Show Me Center.

Military Appreciation Day 
Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at the Show Me Center. There will be FREE admission for all veterans (plus one guest) with a valid military ID.

Follow the Redhawks
Listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM with Erik Sean handling the play-by-play duties. Watch on ESPN+. Live stats are available at SEMORedhawks.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Youngstown State meet for just the second time Saturday. YSU defeated SEMO in the first matchup of the series, 65-50, in Youngstown, Ohio on Dec. 15, 2019.

Home-Openers
The Redhawks are 23-7 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 nine years and posted victories in 14 of its previous 17 home-opening contests. The Redhawks won four of their last five home-openers.

Against the Horizon League
Southeast Missouri is 13-12 all-time against the Horizon League. Youngstown State is one of two Horizon League schools on SEMO's schedule this year. The other is Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 11). Here are the Redhawks records vs. Horizon League teams.
Cleveland State    1-1
Green Bay    2-2
IUPUI    2-0
Milwaukee    5-1
Northern Kentucky    1-2
Oakland    0-1
Purdue Fort Wayne    2-2
Illinois-Chicago    0-2
Youngstown State    0-1 

Long Brothers Reunite
Twin brothers Parker and Owen Long will square off against each other Saturday. Parker is in his second year with the Redhawks and Owen is in his first season with the Penguins after previously playing two years at Maryville in St. Louis. Parker played one season at Maryville, as well.

Season-Opening Win
The Redhawks tipped off their 2021-22 campaign with a big 99-94 road win at Missouri Valley Conference foe Missouri State (Nov. 9). Southeast Missouri won a season-opener on the road in back-to-back years for the first time in its NCAA Division I history. With a win Saturday, SEMO will start a season at 2-0 for the first time in 18 years. The Redhawks last 2-0 start was in 2003-04 and involved a win against a Horizon League team (63-62, vs. Green Bay).

High Scoring Affair
Southeast Missouri (99) and Missouri State (94) combined for 193 points in their season-opening slugfest on Nov. 9. The 99 points marked SEMO's most in a season-opener since it scored 120 in a win over Missouri Baptist on Nov. 19, 1990. Both the Redhawks and Bears also combined to shoot 69 free throws. SEMO made 27-of-34 and MSU hit 25-of-35.

Three-Game Homestand
The Redhawks begin a season-long three-game homestand when they play host to Youngstown State this weekend. After Saturday's matchup, Arkansas State (Nov. 19) and Missouri Baptist (Nov. 22) visit the Show Me Center.

Redhawks at Home
Southeast Missouri is 7-6 at home under Head Coach Brad Korn. Last year's 7-6 mark was SEMO's first home winning record in four seasons.

Reed, Jr. Leads the Way
Eric Reed, Jr. scored 21 points and nailed a huge 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to lead Southeast Missouri to its 99-94 season-opening victory over Missouri State (Nov. 9). Reed, Jr. shot 6-of-13 from the field and did not miss a free throw (7-of-7) in 35 minutes. It was the fourth 20-point game of his career.

Balanced Attack
Five Southeast Missouri players reached double figures in the scoring column during the Redhawks first game of the season at Missouri State (Nov. 9). Eric Reed, Jr. led the team with 21 points, while Chris Harris followed close behind with 19. Nygal Russell added 14 points, Nana Akenten finished with 13 and Manny Patterson contributed 10 to round out the group. 

Keep Up the Good Work
The Redhawks have won five of their last seven games dating back to the end of the 2020-21 season. Southeast Missouri scored 86 or more points in four of those contests. 

Nice Shooting
Southeast Missouri shot 57.1 percent (32-of-56) from the field against Missouri State (Nov. 9). Ten of the 11 Redhawks who played scored at least three points. The .571 field goal percentage marked SEMO's best in 23 years. The Redhawks last shot over 57 percent from the field in a season-opener vs. Western Carolina on Nov. 19, 1999. SEMO made 60 percent (36-of-60) of its field goals in that game. The .571 field goal percentage is the Redhawks highest in non-conference play under Head Coach Brad Korn.

Knocking Them Down
The Redhawks made 27-of-34 free throws for just under 80 percent (794) against Missouri State (Nov. 9). Southeast Missouri made 21-of-26 free throws in the second half alone. Nine players went to the free throw line for SEMO. Eric Reed, Jr. and Manny Patterson each made a perfect 7-of-7 free throws to lead the way.

First Career Starts
Freshmen Phillip Russell and Sam Thompson made their first career starts at Missouri State (Nov. 9). Russell had three points, three rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes at point guard, while Thompson scored five points in 10 minutes of action.

Second Half Manny
Forward Manny Patterson scored 11 points and added a team-high seven rebounds, all in the second half against Missouri State (Nov. 9). Patterson scored seven of those points at the free throw line where he did not miss (7-of-7). It was the fourth time he finished with double-digit points in his career.

Horizon League Ties
Manny Patterson played three seasons at Green Bay before entering the transfer portal and later arriving at Southeast Missouri. Patterson started 24 of 33 games and averaged 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 2019-20. As a sophomore in 2018-19, he started 12 games. Before that, Patterson made 19 starts in 27 contests as a freshman in 2017-18. Saturday will be the seventh time Patterson faces Youngstown State in his college career.

About Youngstown State
Youngstown State dropped its first game of 2021-22 on the road at Big Ten Conference affiliate Penn State Wednesday. The Penguins, who fell by a score of 75-59, were led by Michael Akuchie's 22 points. YSU scored 30 of its points from 3-point range against the Nittany Lions. The Penguins were picked to finish seventh in this year's Horizon League Preseason Poll. 

Season 115
The Redhawks are in their 115th season of basketball. This year is Southeast Missouri's 31st as an NCAA Division I program. The Redhawks are 355-521 since joining the Division I ranks in 1991-92. SEMO has a total of eight winning seasons as an NCAA Division I program with its last coming in 2013-14 (18-14). 

Mr. Experience
Guard Nygal Russell is Southeast Missouri's most experienced player on this year's roster. Russell has played in a total of 87 games and logged 23 starts in his career. He is in his fourth year with the Redhawks and averages 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for his career.

Redhawks Tabbed Fourth in OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri, after being picked to finish no higher than ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll each of the last five seasons, was selected fourth in 2021-22. The Redhawks tallied 101 points in the overall voting by OVC Head Basketball Coaches and Communication Directors. The Redhawks achieved their highest OVC preseason ranking in seven years. SEMO was selected third overall (second in the West) ahead of the 2014-15 campaign when the conference was split in divisions. Belmont is this year's preseason favorite after garnering 161 points and all but three of the first-place votes. Morehead State, which represented the OVC in the NCAA Tournament last season, collected 141 points and three first-place nods, while Murray State (136 pts.) took third. Tennessee State (84 pts.), Austin Peay (76 pts.), SIU Edwardsville (65 pts.), Tennessee Tech (62 pts.), Eastern Illinois (43 pts.) and UT Martin (34 pts.) complete the 10-team preseason poll.

Harris Garners OVC Preseason Honors
Guard Chris Harris earned Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference honors for the first time in his career. Harris returns as the team's top scorer. One of five returning starters, Harris averaged 12.3 points per game in 26 starts a year ago. He led the Redhawks in assists (88) and minutes played (30.2 per game), while ranking fourth in steals (25), third in 3-point field goals made (38) and second in free throw percentage (.735). Harris scored double figures in 18 of his starts. Belmont guard Grayson Murphy and Morehead State forward Johni Broome shared the OVC Preseason Player of the Year honor.

Big Improvement
In Brad Korn's first season as head coach in 2020-21, Southeast Missouri made the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the first time in four years. The Redhawks finished with an overall record of 11-16 and seventh in the league with a 9-11 mark. SEMO saw a +4 improvement in total wins and a +6 jump in OVC victories from the 2019-20 campaign. The Redhawks' nine conference wins matched their most in a season in 20 years.

Roster Talk
Southeast Missouri's 14-man roster consists of players from eight different states (Missouri, Florida, Geogia, Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, Texas, Wisconsin). SEMO has 10 returning players, including all five of its starters from 2020-21. Four freshmen (Phillip Russell, Adam Larson, Chase Thompson, Sam Thompson) complete this year's roster. 

Welcome Back
St. Louis native Phillip Russell is back with Southeast Missouri this season. Russell initially signed with the Redhawks out of high school, but decommitted and went to Saint Louis University as a walk-on. He saw action in eight games off the bench and averaged 2.1 points per contest with the Billikens. Prior to that, he helped lead Vashon High School to a state title. Russell will make his first career start as SEMO's point guard at Missouri State Tuesday.

2021-22 Schedule
A 31-game schedule with 14 matchups at the Show Me Center is in store for the Southeast Missouri men's basketball team this 2021-22 season. SEMO tips off its season against in-state foe Missouri State on Nov. 3. This year marks the 147th meeting between the schools The Redhawks non-conference home slate features games against Youngstown State (Nov. 13), Arkansas State (Nov. 19), Missouri Baptist (Nov. 23), Webster University (Dec. 4) and Evansville (Dec. 8). SEMO will travel to San Antonio, Texas for a tournament at Incarnate Word University over Thanksgiving weekend. The Redhawks face Portland (Nov. 26), host Incarnate Word (Nov. 27) and Montana State (Nov. 28) as part of the four-team event. The Redhawks close out non-league action on a four-game road stretch with trips to Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 11), Southern Illinois (Sept. 15), Pepperdine (Dec. 18) and California Baptist (Dec. 21). Longtime rivals SEMO and SIU hook up for the 118th time on the hardwood. SEMO remains on the road for the start of Ohio Valley Conference play which begins with a visit to rival Murray State (Dec. 30). Two days later, Austin Peay (Jan. 1) comes to Cape Girardeau for the Redhawks OVC home-opener on New Year's Day. The Redhawks also host Tennessee Tech (Jan. 13), Tennessee State (Jan. 20), Morehead State (Jan. 27), SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 29), Eastern Illinois (Feb. 5), Belmont (Feb. 12), UT Martin (Feb. 24) and Murray State (Feb. 26) in home OVC play. Trips to Belmont (Jan. 6), Tennessee State (Jan. 8), SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 15), Eastern Illinois (Jan. 22), UT Martin (Feb. 3), Austin Peay (Feb. 10), Tennessee Tech (Feb. 17) and Morehead State (Feb. 19) complete SEMO's 18-game conference schedule. The 2022 OVC Tournament will be held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana on Mar. 2-5. This is the fifth-straight year the tournament will be played in that venue.

Home Game vs. Morehead State will Air on ESPNU
Southeast Missouri's home game against Morehead State will air on ESPNU as part of the 2021-22 ESPN Basketball Television Package. That matchup is set for Thursday, January 27. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT at the Show Me Center. This year's slate of Conference basketball games across ESPN networks includes nine total men's basketball games (six regular season contests and three OVC Tournament games) that will appear on one of the linear networks during the season. Four of the regular season matchups and the OVC Tournament semifinals will air on ESPNU, two games will be televised on ESPNews and the OVC Tournament championship game will air on ESPN2.