Austin Peay (4-7, 0-1 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (5-9, 0-1 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, January 1, 2022
Tip-Off: 4 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Facility: Show Me Center (7,000)
Series: APSU leads, 43-23
Last Meeting: SEMO 86, APSU 81 OT (Feb. 16, 2021 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (16-25 overall, 16-25 at SEMO; 9-12 OVC). Nate James (4-7 overall; 4-7 at APSU).

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 Austin Peay 
Southeast Missouri (5-9, 0-1) plays host to Austin Peay (4-7, 0-1) on New Year's Day Saturday. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m., CT at the Show Me 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 SEMORedhawks.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Austin Peay hook up for the 67th time on the front end of their Ohio Valley Conference home-and-home series. SEMO ended an eight-game losing streak in its series against the Governors with a thrilling 86-81 overtime win over APSU last season. That victory came at the Show Me Center on Feb. 16, 2021.

OVC Home Openers
The Redhawks are 13-15 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference home-openers. Southeast Missouri dropped six of its last seven OVC home-openers. SEMO's last win in an OVC home-opener was 81-48 against Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 31, 2016.

Redhawks Begin OVC Play with Loss at Murray State
Southeast Missouri started its 18-game Ohio Valley Conference play with a 106-81 loss at Murray State Thursday. SEMO wrapped up a season-long five-game road trip against the Racers. The Redhawks never led in the game en route to their fourth double-digit loss in five contests. SEMO fell to 10-21 all-time in OVC openers.

Home Winning Streak
Southeast Missouri is presently on a three-game home winning streak after beating Missouri Baptist (71-63, Nov. 22), Webster (76-64, Dec. 4) and Evansville (75-73, Dec. 8). The Redhawks are 3-2 overall at the Show Me Center this year.

2022 is Here
The Redhawks look to start the New Year with a win when they take the court against Austin Peay Saturday. Southeast Missouri last posted a victory in its first game of the New Year when it beat Austin Peay, 86-84, on Jan. 3, 2013.

Back at Home
The Redhawks are back at home for the first time in 24 days. Southeast Missouri edged Missouri Valley Conference member Evansville, 75-73, the last time it played at the Show Me Center on Dec. 8.

Shooting 3s
Southeast Missouri is shooting an average of 24.3 three-pointers per game this season. SEMO attempted a season-high 32 three-pointers vs. Webster (Dec. 4). The Redhawks recently made a season-high 12 three-pointers at Murray State (Dec. 31). It was the fourth time SEMO made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game. For the season, the Redhawks are shooting 32.4 percent from three.

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.

Five-Game Skid
The Redhawks are looking to snap a five-game losing streak when they welcome Austin Peay Saturday. Southeast Missouri fell to Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 11), Southern Illinois (Dec. 15), Pepperdine (Dec. 18), California Baptist (Dec. 21) and Murray State (Dec. 31). All five of those matchups were on the road. Four of those losses were by double-digits. 

Russell Approaching 100 Career Games
Saturday will mark the 100th career game for Nygal Russell. Russell has played in 99 games and logged 33 starts in five seasons with the Redhawks. This season, he is Southeast Missouri's fourth-leading scorer with 7.8 points and leads the team with seven rebounds per contest.

Russell Second in Scoring
After a strong California road trip, redshirt-freshman Phillip Russell moved to second 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. Eric Reed, Jr. (14.7 ppg) and Chris Harris (11.6 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.

OVC Update
Murray State (11-2), Belmont (10-3) and Morehead State (9-5) are the three teams with winning records in the Ohio Valley Conference. 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).

Redhawks Second in the OVC in Free Throw Percentage
Southeast Missouri is second in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .744 free throw percentage. SEMO made 203-of-273 free throws through its first 13 games this season. The Redhawks also attempted an average of 19.5 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. (7th, .750) and Chris Harris (2nd, .800) are among the top 10 free throw shooters in the OVC.

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 second-leading scorer with 14.6 points a game. He has scored double figures in 12 of his starts and ranks ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring.

20-Point Games
Redhawk players have accounted for seven 20-point scoring games this season. Eric Reed, Jr. scored 21 points at Missouri State (Nov. 9), 23 at Incarnate Word (Nov. 26), 26 vs. Webster (Dec. 4) and 20 at Murray State (Dec. 31), 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 seven 20-point games in his career.

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used seven different starting combinations through 14 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 11 of his last 14 starts. Russell finished with a season-high four 3-pointers made at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). His 28 three-pointers made lead the team. Eric Reed, Jr., who also drained  28 treys this year, has posted two or more on seven occasions. His season-best is five made 3-pointers vs. Webster (Dec. 4).

Free Throw Difference
Opponents have shot 61 more free throws than Southeast Missouri through 14 games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +51 (254-203) margin at the charity stripe. 

About Austin Peay
Austin Peay is 4-7 overall and 0-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play under first-year Head Coach Nate James. APSU is ninth in the OVC in scoring averaging just 68.5 points a game. The Governors come to Cape Girardeau on a four-game losing streak and have averaged only 54.6 points per contest in their last three matchups. 

Balanced Attack
Three or more players have scored double figures for Southeast Missouri a total of 12 times this season. SEMO is 5-7 when at least three of its players reach double figures in the scoring column.