Southeast Missouri (2-0) at Evansville (1-1)

Game Information
Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Evansville, Ind.
Facility: Ford Center (10,000)
Series: UE leads, 11-6
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (27-34 overall; 27-34 at SEMO; 17-20 OVC). David Ragland (1-1 overall; 1-1 OVC).

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

Redhawks Head to Evansville
Southeast Missouri (2-0) visits Missouri Valley Conference member Evansville (1-1) for a midweek matchup Wednesday. Tip is set for 7 p.m., CT at the Ford Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will be on the call. Watch on ESPN+. Live stats are available at GoPurpleAces.com and Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Evansville square off for the 18th time Wednesday. UE holds an 11-6 advantage in the all-time series. SEMO edged the Purple Aces, 75-73, at the Show Me Center a year ago.

Strong 2022-23 Start
The Redhawks are off to a 2-0 start this young 2022-23 season after beating South Florida (64-61, Nov. 7) on the road and Lyon College (83-46, Nov. 12) at home. Southeast Missouri is 2-0 to begin a season for the first time since 2003-04. That year, the Redhawks defeated Wisconsin-Green Bay and Kentucky Christian in their first two contests.

Missouri Valley Teams
Evansville is the first of three Missouri Valley Conference schools Southeast Missouri will face in non-conference action this season. SEMO also plays at Bradley Saturday and hosts longtime rival Southern Illinois in its non-league finale on Dec. 21.

Against the Missouri Valley
The Redhawks are 132-275 all-time against the Missouri Valley Conference. Southeast Missouri has played Missouri State (147 games) and Southern Illinois (119 games) the most out of the Valley.
vs. Southern Illinois        46-73
vs. Drake                    0-2
vs. Evansville             6-11
vs. Bradley                2-9
vs. Illinois State           1-8
vs. Indiana State          1-3
vs. Missouri State        55-92
vs. Murray State            21-65
vs. Belmont.                0-12

Home-Opening Win
With its 83-46 victory over Lyon College (Nov. 12), Southeast Missouri improved to 24-8 all-time in home-openers since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1991-92. SEMO opened its home slate with a win for the eighth time in 11 years and posted The Redhawks won their home-opener in their home-opener in five of their last seven seasons.

Korn vs. the MVC
Brad Korn is currently 2-4 vs. the Missouri Valley Conference as a head coach. Korn's wins came at Missouri State and vs. Evansville a year ago. He is no stranger to the MVC having played at Southern Illinois (1999-2004) and coached at both SIU (2004-12) and Missouri State (2013-16).

Largest Win for Korn
Southeast Missouri gave Brad Korn his largest win since he took over as head coach with an 83-46 victory over Lyon College (Nov. 12). The 37-point victory surpassed SEMO's 29-point wins at Eastern Illinois (87-58) and vs. SIU Edwardsville (76-47) last season.

Russell Nets 23 Points
Point guard Phillip Russell dropped in 23 points in Southeast Missouri's win over Lyon College (Nov. 12) becoming the first 20-point scorer for the Redhawks this season. Russell matched a career-high five 3-pointers, dished out four assists and had five steals. It was the eighth 20+ point game of his career. He enters the week as SEMO's leading scorer with 17 points per contest.

Earley Turns in First Double-Double 
Josh Earley came off the bench to get the first double-double of his career when he scored 11 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in 16 minutes against Lyon College (Nov. 12). Earley is averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds a game through two contests this season.

OVC Leader
Southeast Missouri leads the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring defense (53.5 ppg allowed), scoring margin (+20.0), field goal percentage defense (.380), rebounding defense (29.5 rpg), rebounding margin (+14.5), offensive rebounds (15.5 rpg), defensive rebound percentage (.851), and offensive rebound percentage (.388). Kobe Clark leads the OVC in rebounding (12 rpg) and offensive rebounds (5.0 rpg) and Phillip Russell is first in steals (3.5 spg) and 3-point field goals made (4.0 per game).

Against Non-Division I
Southeast Missouri ran its winning streak to 32 victories against non-Division I foes with its 83-46 drubbing of Lyon College (Nov. 12). Lyon College is the only non-Division I opponent on SEMO's 31-game schedule this year.

Redhawks Sign Two Talented Guards 
Southeast Missouri signed talented guards Marqueas Bell and BJ Ward for the 2023-24 season on Nov. 10. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Bell was named to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Associa- tion Class 6 All-State Team after leading Park Hill High School to its second consecutive 16-win season a year ago. He averaged 19.7 points per game and made 39 percent of his 3-pointers. Bell comes from a talented athletic family that includes Ronnie Bell, a star wide receiver at the University of Michigan, and his twin brother, Kendrick Bell, who received an offer from the Wolverines. His younger sister, Iaila, also holds an offer from Michigan. Ward, who hails from St. Louis, averaged 11.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists leading the Red Devils to a 23-9 record and fourth-place finish in the state tournament as a junior. He spent the summer playing for Brad Beal Elite's 17U team. Ward will enter his third season as the starting point guard for Chaminade College Preparatory School, which made back-to-back trips to the Final Four of the Class 6 State Tournament. Ward is one of the top point guards in the state of Missouri who is currently ranked seventh in the Class of 2023 according to Prep Hoops Missouri.