Southeast Missouri (5-8) at Murray State (10-2)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, December 30, 2021
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Murray, Ky.
Facility: CFSB Center (8,600)
Series: MSU leads, 62-21
Last Meeting: MSU 80, SEMO 60 (Feb. 12, 2021 | Murray, Ky.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (16-24 overall, 16-24 at SEMO; 9-11 OVC). Matt McMahon(133-66 overall; 133-66 at Murray State.

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

Redhawks Open OVC Play 
Southeast Missouri (5-8) opens Ohio Valley Conference play at Murray State (10-2) Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT at the CFSB Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM with Erik Sean handling the play-by-play duties. Video can be accessed at ESPN+ and live stats are available at GoRacers.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Murray State meet for the 84th time Thursday. MSU leads the all-time series by a count of 62-21. The Racers have won eight-straight against the Redhawks.  SEMO last beat MSU in Murray on Jan. 26, 2017 (75-74). The Racers and Redhawks meet again in the final game of the 2021-22 regular season on Feb. 26 in Cape Girardeau.

OVC Openers
The Redhawks are 10-20 in Ohio Valley Conference openers. This year marks the fourth-straight where Southeast Missouri begins league play on the road. SEMO is in its 31st season as a member of the OVC.

Redhawks at the CFSB Center
Southeast Missouri has the most wins over Murray State at the CFSB Center of any opponent. SEMO beat the Racers a total of six times in that facility with its last victory coming there on Jan. 26, 2017 (75-74).

Non-Conference is Done
Southeast Missouri wrapped up its 13-game non-conference schedule with an 84-68 road loss at California Baptist (Dec. 21). The Redhawks dropped six of their last eight games against non-league foes.

Four-Game Skid
The Redhawks are looking to snap a four-game losing streak when they begin Ohio Valley Conference action this week. Southeast Missouri fell to Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 11), Southern Illinois (Dec. 15), Pepperdine (Dec. 18) and California Baptist (Dec. 21). All four of those matchups were on the road. Three of those losses were by double-digits. 

SEMO Faces OVC Leader Murray State
Southeast Missouri opens Ohio Valley Conference play with a tough test when it faces league leader Murray State. MSU was picked to finish third in this year's OVC Preseason Poll, one spot ahead of Southeast Missouri. The Racers are tied for first in the league with 10 wins and had won seven in a row prior to their 71-58 loss to Auburn.

California Recap
Southeast Missouri went 0-2 during its road trip to California with losses to Pepperdine (Dec. 18) and California Baptist (Dec. 21). SEMO squared off against each of those teams for the first time in its program history. In all, the Redhawks have played 14 of California's NCAA Division I schools.

Top Scorer
After a strong California road trip, redshirt-freshman Phillip Russell moved to first on the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game. Russell led Southeast Missouri with a career-high 25 points at Pepperdine (Dec. 18) and followed that up with 17 at California Baptist (Dec. 21). He shot 15-of-27 (55.5 pct.) from the field and 7-of-14 (50 pct.) from 3-point range in those contests. Russell is one of three Redhawks averaging double figures in scoring heading into Ohio Valley Conference play. Eric Reed, Jr. (14.3 ppg) and Chris Harris (11.4 ppg) are the others.

Russell Picks Up Second OVC Freshman of the Week Honor 
Point guard Phillip Russell picked up his second Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week award on Dec. 20. A native of St. Louis, Russell averaged 17.5 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals per game in two starts. He also shot 50 percent (13-of-26) from the field and 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from 3-point range. He scored a career-high 25 points (20 in the second half) and buried a season-best four 3-pointers at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). Murray State's Tevin Brown (Player) and UT Martin's KJ Simon (Newcomer) completed the week's honorees.

Welcome Back Sam
After missing eight games with an ankle sprain, Sam Thompson made a nice return at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). Thompson scored 13 points on a near-perfect 6-of-6 field goals in 23 minutes off the bench. He added three rebounds, as well in his first double-digit scoring performance as a Redhawk. Thompson then returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Nov. 19 when he took the court at California Baptist (Dec. 21).

OVC Time
Murray State (10-2), Belmont (10-3) and Morehead State (8-5) are the three teams with winning records heading into the start of Ohio Valley Conference play. The first OVC game will be on Wednesday with four other matchups to follow on Thursday. All 10 teams will be in action New Year's Day.

I Double Dare You
Nygal Russell collected his team-high second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). Russell shot 5-of-9 from the field with three of his makes coming from 3-point range. Russell leads the Redhawks and ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in rebounding (7.3 rpg).

Last Time Out
Southeast Missouri led for just 6:39 during an 84-68 loss to California Baptist (Dec. 21). SEMO was ahead by five points on three occasions early in the first half, but that was it. Phillip Russell led the Redhawks with 17 points, while Chris Harris followed with 16 off the bench. Eric Reed, Jr. added 11 points in SEMO's fifth double-digit loss of the season.

Redhawks Second in the OVC in Free Throw Percentage
Southeast Missouri is second in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .736 free throw percentage. SEMO made 184-of-250 free throws through its first 13 games this season. The Redhawks also attempted an average of 19.2 free throws per game during that stretch. SEMO has made and attempted more free throws than anyone else in the league thus far. Two Redhawks, Eric Reed, Jr. (3rd, .786) and Chris Harris (4th, .784) are among the top five free throw shooters in the OVC.

On the Road
Southeast Missouri lost four-straight road games and is 2-6 outside of Cape Girardeau this season. SEMO holds a 2-4 record in true road contests. Thursday marks the end of a season-long five-game road stretch for the Redhawks.

Turnover Low
The Redhawks matched a season-low eight turnovers in their latest outing at California Baptist (Dec. 21). Southeast Missouri is averaging just under 13 (12.9) turnovers per game through 13 contests this season.

Every Game Starter
Phillip Russell is the only player who has started every game for the Redhawks this season. Russell enters the week as Southeast Missouri's leading scorer with 14.6 points a game. He has scored double figures in 11 of his starts and ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .443 (27-of-61) three-point field goal percentage.

Free Throw Streak Ends at 21
Nygal Russell's free throw streak came to an end at 21-straight at California Baptist (Dec. 21). Russell missed the second of two shots 16:11 left in the first half. The miss was his first at the free throw line since Feb. 25, 2021 (at Eastern Illinois). 

20-Point Games
Redhawk players have accounted for six 20-point scoring games this season. Eric Reed, Jr. scored 21 points at Missouri State (Nov. 9), 23 at Incarnate Word (Nov. 26) and 26 vs. Webster (Dec. 4), while Phillip Russell poured in 21 points vs. Montana State (Nov. 28), 24 vs. Evansville (Dec. 8) and 25 at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). Reed, Jr. has a team-high six 20-point games in his career.

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used seven different starting combinations through 13 games this year. Phillip Russell, Nygal Russell, Dylan Branson, Sam Thompson and Eric Reed, Jr. marked the seventh lineup when they took the court at California Baptist (Dec. 21). P. Russell, N. Russell, Reed, Jr., Dylan Branson and Patterson are 2-3 in five contests.

Multiple Threes
Phillip Russell buried multiple 3-pointers in 10 of his last 13 starts. Russell finished with a season-high four 3-pointers made at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). His 27 three-pointers made lead the team. Eric Reed, Jr., who drained  24 treys this year, has posted two or more on seven occasions. His season-best is five made 3-pointers vs. Webster (Dec. 4).

Keep it Up Reed
Guard Eric Reed, Jr. made a 3-pointer in 23 of his last 24 games dating back to last season. Reed, Jr. buried a 3-pointer in 22-straight contests before that streak came to an end at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). It was the first time he went without a made 3-pointer since the SIU Edwardsville game on Jan. 28, 2021.

Free Throw Difference
Opponents have shot 66 more free throws than Southeast Missouri through 13 games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +47 (231-184) margin at the charity stripe. 

About Murray State
Murray State is a perfect 6-0 at home so far this season and has just two losses which came against East Tennessee State (Nov. 22) and Auburn (Dec. 22). The recent loss at Auburn ended the Racers seven-game winning streak. MSU has the Ohio Valley Conference's leading scorer in Tevin Brown who is averaging 19.2 points per game. KJ Williams is also among the league's top five scorers at fifth with 16.3 per contest. As a team, MSU leads the OVC in scoring (83.7 ppg) and is beating teams be a league-best +18.1 margin. The Racers are also first among OVC teams in field goal percentage (.503) and rebounding margin (+7.5).

Balanced Attack
Three or more players have scored double figures for Southeast Missouri a total of 11 times this season. SEMO is 5-6 when at least three of its players reach double figures in the scoring column.

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.