Southeast Missouri (7-11, 2-3 OVC) at Eastern Illinois (2-15, 0-4 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2022
Tip-Off: 3:30 p.m., CT
Location: Charleston, Ill.
Facility: Lantz Arena (5,300)
Series: EIU leads, 32-26
Last Meeting: SEMO 94, EIU 88 (Feb. 12, 2021 | Charleston, Ill.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (18-27 overall, 18-27 at SEMO; 11-14 OVC). Marty Simmons (289-263 overall; 2-15 at EIU).

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

Redhawks Head to Eastern Illinois
Southeast Missouri (7-11, 2-3) visits Eastern Illinois in Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m., CT at Lantz Arena.

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 EIUPanthers.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois hook up for the 59th time in the first game of its home-and-home set Saturday. SEMO holds a two-game winning streak in the series after sweeping the Panthers last season. The Redhawks won in three of their last four trips to Charleston.

Back to Work
After a 12-day layoff, the Redhawks thumped Tennessee State, 85-63, Thursday night at the Show Me Center. Southeast Missouri did not play a week ago due to COVID protocols within its program. The victory marked SEMO's second in Ohio Valley Conference play and put the Redhawks at fifth in the league standings entering this weekend.

Lots of Positives
The Redhawks posted their largest win of the season with their 85-63 win over Tennessee State (Jan. 20). Defensively, Southeast Missouri put together its best effort of the season forcing 17 turnovers and holding the Tigers to 63 points, lowest total by any opponent the Redhawks have faced this season. SEMO also shot a season-best 57.4 percent (31-of-54) from the field.

Big Run
After falling behind by nine points (21-12) with a little over eight minutes to play in the first half, Southeast Missouri made it a two-possession game before closing the stanza with a vengeance. SEMO used a 12-0 run in the final 1:40 to pull ahead of Tennessee State, 41-34, at the half. The Redhawks then carried their momentum into the second half, where they man-handled the Tigers, 44-29. SEMO averaged 49 points in the second half during its two matchups with TSU this season.

COVID Protocols
The Redhawks missed two games due to COVID protocols within their program. Southeast Missouri was scheduled to play Tennessee Tech at home on Jan. 13 and SIU Edwardsville on the road Jan. 15. SEMO's game with TTU will not be rescheduled at this time since the Golden Eagles already reached their four-game rescheduling limit. In the event a window opens up on a Thursday or Saturday due to other postponements, the Conference office will work with both schools to reschedule that game. If the game is not rescheduled, it will become a no-contest. Meanwhile, the Redhawks game at SIUE has been rescheduled for Feb. 7 at 7 p.m., CT.

Home Winning Streak
Southeast Missouri is presently on a five-game home winning streak after beating Missouri Baptist (71-63, Nov. 22), Webster (76-64, Dec. 4), Evansville (75-73, Dec. 8), Austin Peay (98-79, Jan. 1) and Tennessee State (85-63, Jan. 20). SEMO is on its longest home winning streak in five years. The Redhawks are 5-2 at the Show Me Center this year. One more victory will give SEMO a six-game homecourt winning streak for the first time since 2007-08.

Akenten Rises
Nana Akenten came off the bench to score double figures in each of his last three games. Akenten dropped in a season-high 19 points at Belmont (Jan. 6) and followed that up with 16 and 17 points against Tennessee State (Jan. 8, Jan. 20). He made 12 three-pointers and shot 64 percent (18-of-28) from the field during that stretch. In two games against the Tigers alone, Akenten averaged 16.5 points. He is Southeast Missouri's third-leading scorer with 12.2 points per game in Ohio Valley Conference play. 

Putting Up the Points
Southeast Missouri has scored over 80 points in four of its first five Ohio Valley Conference games. As a result, SEMO is tied for first with Murray State in scoring offense against league foes. Both are averaging 82 points per game. The Redhawks put up a season-best 98 points in conference play during their victory over Austin Peay (98-79, Jan. 1).

Reed, Jr. Tops OVC in Scoring in Conference Play
Eric Reed, Jr. leads the league in scoring in Ohio Valley Conference games this season. Reed, Jr. is averaging 19.8 points per game through five OVC starts. Morehead State's Johni Broome is behind Reed, Jr. with 18 points per contest. Reed, Jr. scored 20 or more points three times and reached double figures in four of his starts against league foes thus far.

Redhawks for Three!
Southeast Missouri is averaging a league-best 11.4 three-pointers made in Ohio Valley Conference games. SEMO buried 57 three-pointers in five conference matchups. The Redhawks buried a season-high 17 three-pointers vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and have drained 12 or more in three of their OVC contests. Eric Reed, Jr. (.531), Nana Akenten (.500) and DQ Nicholas (.500) are at the top of the league in 3-point field goal percentage against OVC teams. The trio has combined for 36 makes beyond the arc.

Coming Up on 600
The career-point meter is approaching 600 for DQ Nicholas, Nygal Russell and Eric Reed, Jr. Nicholas currently has 586 points as a Redhawk, while Russell and Reed, Jr. follow with 576 and 567, respectively.

Doing the Dishes
Redshirt-freshman Phillip Russell dished out a season-high seven assists to go along with 15 points vs. Tennessee State (Jan. 20). Russell leads Southeast Missouri and ranks 15th in the Ohio Valley Conference with 48 assists (2.7 per game) this season. It marked the second time where Russell had at least six assists in a game.

Chase's Place
Chase Thompson established season-highs in points and minutes played during a nice effort off the bench vs. Tennessee State (Jan. 20). Thompson scored nine points on 3-of-4 field goals and logged 17 minutes along the way. He had scored no more than four points in 13 games prior to that contest.

Nicholas Tops the OVC in Free Throw Percentage
DQ Nicholas leads the Ohio Valley Conference in free throw percentage. Nicholas is 32-of-38 for an 84.2 percent clip at the charity stripe. He is one of three Redhawks among the league's top six free throw shooters. Chris Harris (4th, .803) and Eric Reed, Jr. (6th, .790) are the others.

Redhawks Lead OVC in Free Throw Percentage
Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in free throw percentage. SEMO is shooting 74.2 percent (279-of-376) at the line through 18 games. The Redhawks have made and attempted more free throws than any other team in the league. SEMO is shooting over 20 (20.8) free throws per game. 

Big Games
Five days after pouring in a career-high 34 points vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1), Eric Reed, Jr. led Southeast Missouri with 22 points at Belmont (Jan. 6). Reed, Jr. scored all of his points in the first half and buried six more 3-pointers along the way. In his last three starts alone, Reed, Jr. averaged 25.3 points per game and knocked down 17 three-pointers for an average of nearly six (5.6) per contest in that span. 

Over 100
With his six 3-pointers made at Belmont (Jan. 6), Eric Reed, Jr. went over 100 in his Southeast Missouri career. Reed, Jr. is 102-of-239 from 3-point range as a Redhawk. His .427 three-point field goal percentage currently ranks third all-time among SEMO's career leaders.

Let's End This
The Redhawks have dropped nine-consecutive games away from Cape Girardeau. Each of the last seven matchups in that stretch were true road games. Southeast Missouri is 2-7 in true road contests and hasn't won a game outside of Cape Girardeau since Nov. 26 (at Incarnate Word, 79-76).

Shooting 3s
Southeast Missouri is shooting an average of 24.9 three-pointers per game this season. SEMO attempted a season-high 32 three-pointers vs. Webster (Dec. 4). The Redhawks made a season-high 17 three-pointers vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and buried 10 or more threes in six contests this year. For the season, the Redhawks are shooting 34.5 percent from three. SEMO drained an average of 11.4 threes in its last five games alone.

Russell Power
Phillip Russell has scored double figures in nine of his last 10 starts. Russell, who ranks second on the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game, recently pitched in 15 vs. Tennessee State (Jan. 20). He has scored double figures in 15 of his 18 starts.

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 15 of his starts and ranks ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring.

20-Point Games
Redhawk players have accounted for eleven 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), 20 at Murray State (Dec. 31), 34 vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and 22 at Belmont (Jan. 6), while Phillip Russell poured in 21 points vs. Montana State (Nov. 28), 24 vs. Evansville (Dec. 8),  25 at Pepperdine (Dec. 18), 20 vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and 22 at Tennessee State (Jan. 8). Reed, Jr. has a team-high nine 20-point games in his career.

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used seven different starting combinations through 18 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). 

Free Throw Difference
Opponents have shot 69 more free throws than Southeast Missouri through 18 games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +55 (334-279) margin at the charity stripe. 

About Eastern Illinois
Eastern Illinois, which is under first-year Head Coach Marty Simmons, is last in the Ohio Valley Conference with an overall record of 2-15 and 0-4 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Simmons took over the EIU job after spending 11 years as Evansville's head coach and then working as special assistant to the head coach at Clemson. EIU has lost eight in a row and is coming off a 40-point defeat against Murray State. The Panthers have not beaten an NCAA Division I opponent all season. Kejuan Clements leads EIU with 8.6 points per game. The Panthers are last in the league in scoring with just 55.5 points per contest.