Southeast Missouri (5-4) at Purdue Fort Wayne (4-5)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021
Tip-Off: 12 p.m., CT
Location: Fort Wayne, Ind.
Facility: Memorial Coliseum (13,000)
Series: Tied, 2-2
Last Meeting: SEMO 79, PFW 78 (Nov. 10, 2019 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (16-20 overall, 16-20 at SEMO; 9-11 OVC). Jon Coffman (136-118 overall; 136-118 at PFW).

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

Redhawks Head to Purdue Fort Wayne 
Southeast Missouri (5-4) heads to Purdue Fort Wayne (4-5) Saturday. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m., CT at Memorial Coliseum.

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 GoMastodons.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

December Stretch
The Redhawks will close out the non-conference portion of their schedule on the road. Southeast Missouri makes trips to Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 11), Southern Illinois (Dec. 15), Pepperdine (Dec. 18) and California Baptist (Dec. 21) before opening its 18-game Ohio Valley Conference slate at Murray State (Dec. 30). The five-game road trip is SEMO's longest under Head Coach Brad Korn.

Redhawks Heating Up
Southeast Missouri is off to a 2-0 start in December and has won four of its last six contests. SEMO carries a two-game winning streak into Saturday's matchup with Purdue Fort Wayne. The 2-0 mark is the Redhawks best December start since 2017-18 (3-0). Additionally, SEMO is 2-0 in true road games this year as one of onlytwo Ohio Valley Conference teams remaining with undefeated records in true road matchups. Murray State (1-0) is the other.

See You Next Year
The Redhawks posted a thrilling 75-73 win over Missouri Valley Conference member Evansville (Dec. 8) in its final home game of 2021. Southeast Missouri won't be in Cape Girardeau again until it hosts Austin Peay on New Year's Day.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Horizon League affiliate Purdue Fort Wayne meet for the fifth time in 2021-22. Currently, the all-time series stands deadlocked at 2-2 between the teams. Three of the four matchups were played in Cape Girardeau. SEMO faces the Mastodons in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the first time since 2003-04. That year, the Redhawks won, 77-75, on Jan. 3.

Close Games
Three of the first four games between Southeast Missouri and Purdue Fort Wayne were decided by no more than two points. SEMO posted 77-75 (Jan. 3, 2004 - Fort Wayne) and 79-78 (Nov. 10, 2019 - Cape Girardeau) victories, while the Mastodons edged the Redhawks, 65-64, on Nov. 21, 2005. Chris Harris drained a game-winning 3-pointer with 27 seconds left to beat PFW the last time these teams met in 2019-20.

Career Night for the Russells
Point guard Phillip Russell poured in a career-high 24 points and forward Nygal Russell added a career-best 15 rebounds in Southeast Missouri's win over Evansville (Dec. 8). P. Russell shot 10-of-16 from the field, knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, dished out four assists and had two steals, while N. Russell grabbed 11 of his boards in the first half. All 15 of his rebounds came on the defensive end.

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). SEMO is on its first winning streak of three or more games since 2016-17.

Gritty Win
Short-handed Southeast Missouri pulled out a gritty two-point win over Evansville (Dec. 8). SEMO played the Purple Aces with only eight available players and did not have its leading scorer (Eric Reed, Jr.) due to illness. The Redhawks assisted 15 of their 28 made field goals and made a near-perfect 12-of-13 free throws in the game. 

On the Rebound
The Redhawks outrebounded Evansville (Dec. 8) by a count of 37-31. Southeast Missouri had been outrebounded for seven-straight games prior to that contest. It marked just the second time this season that SEMO won the battle of the boards.

Strong 3-Point Defense
Southeast Missouri held Evansville to a season-low 11 three-pointers made. UE, which leads the Missouri Valley Conference with 104 three-pointers made, shot just 29.7 percent (11-of-37) from long range against the Redhawks.

Every Game Starter
Phillip Russell is the only player who has started every game for the Redhawks this season. Russell enters the weekend as Southeast Missouri's second-leading scorer with 13.4 points a game. He has scored double figures in seven of his starts and ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .472 (17-of-36) three-point field goal percentage.

16 in a Row
Nygal Russell has made 18-consecutive free throws dating back to last season. Russell last missed a free throw at Eastern Illinois on Feb. 25, 2021. He is a perfect 11-of-11 at the free throw line this year as the only Redhawk who hasn't missed a free throw.

20-Point Games
Redhawk players have accounted for five 20-point scoring games this season. Eric Reed, Jr. scored 21 points at Missouri (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) and 24 vs. Evansville (Dec. 8). Reed, Jr. has a team-high six 20-point games in his career.

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used five different starting combinations through nine games this year. Manny Patterson, Phillip Russell, Chris Harris, DQ Nicholas and Nygal Russell marked the fifth lineup when they took the court against Evansville (Dec. 8). Prior to that, P. Russell, N. Russell, Reed, Jr., Dylan Branson and Patterson went 2-2 in four contests.

Shooting 3s
Southeast Missouri is shooting an average of 23 three-pointers per game this season. SEMO attempted a season-high 32 three-pointers vs. Webster (Dec. 4). The Redhawks 10 three-pointers made at Incarnate Word (Nov. 26) and vs. Portland (Nov. 27) are their most in a game in 2021-22. 

Dialing Up from Distance
The Redhawks drained a season-high 10 three-pointers in back-to-back games at the Incarnate Word Thanksgiving Invitational. Southeast Missouri made 10-of-24 treys for a season-best 41.7 percent against Incarnate Word (Nov. 26). A day later, the Redhawks went 10-of-25 from downtown vs. Portland. 

Redhawks Lead OVC in Free Throw Percentage
Southeast Missouri is first in the Ohio Valley Conference with a .759 free throw percentage. SEMO made 145-of-191 free throws through its first nine games this season. The Redhawks also attempted an average of 21.2 free throws per game during that stretch. SEMO ranks 36th in the nation in free throw attempts. Chris Harris tops the Redhawks with 30 free throws made (30-of-38). Manny Patterson is tied for first in the OVC in free throw percentage with a 84.6 percent clip.

Multiple Threes
Phillip Russell buried multiple 3-pointers in seven of his last eight starts. Russell finished with a season-high three 3-pointers made on three occasions -- vs. Youngstown State (Nov. 13), vs. Missouri Baptist (Nov. 22), vs. Portland (Nov. 27). His 17 three-pointers made rank second on the team. Eric Reed, Jr., who also drained a team-high 20 treys this year, has posted two or more on six occasions. His season-best is five made 3-pointers vs. Webster (Dec. 4).

3-Pointer Streak
Guard Eric Reed, Jr. has made a 3-pointer in 20-straight games dating back to last season. The last time Reed, Jr. went without a made 3-pointer was vs. SIU Edwardsville on Jan. 28, 2021. He has also started in 28 consecutive contests.

Approach the Bench
Southeast Missouri received 252 points from its bench through nine games. SEMO's reserves are contributing an average of 28 points per contest. The Redhawks had a season-high 41 bench points vs. Youngstown State (Nov. 13).

Free Throw Difference
Opponents have shot 39 more free throws than Southeast Missouri through nine games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +30 (175-145) margin at the charity stripe. 

About Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne is 4-5 overall and 1-1 in the Horizon League this season. PFW is coming off an 80-59 loss at SIU Edwardsville and faces its second-straight Ohio Valley Conference opponent when Southeast Missouri visits Fort Wayne Saturday. Jarred Godfrey leads the Mastodons with 18.3 points per game as one of three starters averaging double-digits in the scoring column. Jalon PIpkins (13.4 ppg) and Ra Kpedi (12.5 ppg) follow. As a team, PFW averages 74.8 points a game and is shooting 46 percent from the field. Defensively, the Mastodons are forcing over 14 turnovers (14.5) per contest.

Balanced Attack
Three of more players have scored double figures for Southeast Missouri a total of seven times this season. SEMO is 5-2 when at least three of its players reach double figures in the scoring column.

Mr. Experience
Guard Nygal Russell is Southeast Missouri's most experienced player on this year's roster. Russell has played in a total of 95 games and logged 29 starts in his career. He is in his fourth year with the Redhawks and averages 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for his career.