Southeast Missouri (11-15, 6-7 OVC) at Tennessee Tech (7-19, 4-9 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, February 17, 2022
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Facility: Eblen Center (7,500)
Series: TTU leads, 36-18
Last Meeting: SEMO 68, TU 64 (Feb. 4, 2021 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (22-31 overall, 22-31 at SEMO; 15-18 OVC). John Pelphrey (167-189 overall; 21-63 at TTU).

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

Redhawks Head Out for Final Road Swing
Southeast Missouri (11-15, 6-7) heads out for its final road swing of the season this week. The Redhawks first visit Tennessee Tech (7-19, 4-9) Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., CT at the Eblen Center.

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

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Tennessee Tech meet for the 55th time Thursday. TTU holds a 36-18 advantage in the all-time series. SEMO snapped a three-game losing streak in the series with a 68-64 win over the Golden Eagles in Cape Girardeau last season. The Redhawks and Golden Eagles did not play their first game this season -- scheduled for Jan. 13 -- due to COVID protocols in SEMO's program.

Five of Nine
Southeast Missouri won five of its last nine contests. SEMO's losses in that stretch were a one-point (74-73) overtime setback against Morehead State (Jan. 27), an 84-63 defeat at UT Martin (Feb. 3), a 74-66 loss at Austin Peay (Feb. 10) and an 81-72 home loss vs. Belmont (Feb. 12). The Redhawks beat Tennessee State (85-63, Jan. 20), SIU Edwardsville (85-77, Jan. 19) and Eastern Illinois (63-56, Feb. 5) at home, and Eastern Illinois (85-77, Jan. 22) and SIU Edwardsville (76-47, Feb. 7) on the road. SEMO wrapped up January with a 4-3 record, its first winning record in January since 2016-17 (5-3). The Redhawks are 2-3 in February.

Final Two Road Games
The Redhawks are away from Cape Girardeau for their final two road games of the regular-season this week. After Thursday's game at Tennessee Tech, Southeast Missouri will close out its Ohio Valley Conference road slate with a trip to Morehead State (Feb. 19).

11th Win
The Redhawks picked up their 11th win of the season when they beat SIU Edwardsville, 76-47, on Feb. 7. Southeast Missouri matched its win total in 2020-21 (11-16). SEMO is also fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with a 6-7 mark. The Redhawks are working to secure their first winning record in OVC play since 2016-17 (9-7).  Additionally, SEMO has not finished a season any higher than fifth in the league standings in 22 years. The Redhawks have four conference games remaining.

Status Update
Eric Reed, Jr. and DQ Nicholas, who missed Southeast Missouri's game at SIU Edwardsville (Feb. 7) due to COVID protocols, returned at Austin Peay (Feb. 10). Nicholas scored 12 points off the bench in 25 minutes, while Reed, Jr. played 29 minutes off the bench in that game. Nana Akenten, who did not play for the same reason at SIUE (Feb. 7) and Austin Peay (Feb. 10), returned vs. Belmont (Feb. 12). Meanwhile, Chris Harris, who missed the last three games due to COVID protocols, is expected to be back for both games this week. 

Redhawks Drop Last Two
The Redhawks are looking to snap a two-game losing streak after falling on the road at Austin Peay (74-66, Feb. 10) and at home vs. Belmont (81-72, Feb. 12). Southeast Missouri is presently fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with a 6-7 mark. Austin Peay is right behind the Redhawks at 6-8.

Make That Five
Southeast Missouri point guard Phillip Russell was a unanimous pick for Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week on Feb. 14. A redshirt-freshman, Russell garnered his league-high fifth OVC Freshman of the Week accolade this season. Russell, who hails from St. Louis, averaged 23 points, five rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 steals in three starts last week. He opened SEMO's three-game week with 35 points, 10 rebounds and five steals during a 76-47 road win at SIU Edwardsville (Feb. 7), a game which the Redhawks played with only seven players due to COVID protocols. He broke SEMO's single-game scoring record by a freshman in the Redhawks NCAA Division I era and became only the second Division I freshman in the last 25 years to get 35+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ steals in a game. Russell completed his week with 18 points at Austin Peay (Feb. 10) and 16 points vs. Belmont (Feb. 12). He has scored double figures in 18 of his 24 starts. Russell also shot 88.5 percent (23-of-26) at the free throw line. Additionally, his 35 points at SIUE are tied for second-most by a first-year player in 2021-22 behind Omaha's Frankie Fidler (37, vs. North Dakota). Murray State's KJ Williams (Player of the Week) and SIUE's DeeJuan Pruitt (Newcomer of the Week) rounded out the week's honorees. 

Patterson Nets Season-High
Forward Manny Patterson poured in a season-high 20 points to lead four Southeast Missouri starters in double figures vs. Belmont (Feb. 12). Patterson shot a near-perfect 8-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 at the free throw line. It was his sixth double-digit scoring game of the season.

What a Show!
Redshirt-freshman point guard Phillip Russell broke a single-game record by freshman during Southeast Missouri's NCAA Division I era when he scored 35 points at SIU Edwardsville (Feb. 7). Russell, who hails from St. Louis, also grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out four assists and had five steals. He is only the second Division I freshman in the last 25 years to get 35+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ steals in a game. The other was Ben Simmons (LSU, Dec. 2, 2015).

Mr. Double-Double
Nygal Russell posted his team-high third double-double when he scored 11 points and pulled down 13 rebounds at Austin Peay (Feb. 10). Russell finished with double-digit rebounds for the fifth time this season. He leads the Redhawks and ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with 6.8 rebounds a game.

Putting Up the Points
Southeast Missouri has scored over 80 points in seven of its 13 Ohio Valley Conference games. As a result, SEMO ranks third in the league with 76.5 points per game against OVC foes. The Redhawks put up a season-best 98 points in conference play during their victory over Austin Peay (98-79, Jan. 1).

Redhawks for Three!
Southeast Missouri is averaging a league-best 9.5 three-pointers made in Ohio Valley Conference games. SEMO buried 124 three-pointers in 13 conference matchups. The Redhawks made a season-high 17 three-pointers vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and have drained 12 or more in four of their OVC contests. SEMO is second in 3-point shooting during OVC play with a 35.2 percent (124-of-352) clip.

COVID Protocols
Southeast Missouri's home game with TTU (initially scheduled on Jan. 13) 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. 

Over 600
DQ Nicholas cleared 600 points in his career with his 12-point effort against Morehead State (Jan. 27). Nicholas now has 638 points as a Redhawk. Eric Reed, Jr. also went over 600 points when he dropped in 18 vs. SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 29). Reed, Jr. has 652 points at SEMO. Meanwhile, Nygal Russell has 654 points.

Redhawks Second in the OVC in Free Throw Percentage
Southeast Missouri ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in free throw percentage. SEMO is shooting 73 percent (401-of-549) at the line through 26 games. SEMO is shooting 21.1 free throws per game. 

Shooting 3s
Southeast Missouri is shooting an average of 25.2 three-pointers per game this season. SEMO attempted a season-high 35 three-pointers at Murray State (Dec. 30) and at Eastern Illinois (Jan. 22). The Redhawks made a season-high 17 three-pointers vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and buried 10 or more threes in eight contests this year. For the season, the Redhawks are shooting 33.8 percent from three. SEMO drained an average of 9.5 in its 13 Ohio Valley Conference games.

20-Point Games
Redhawk players have accounted for fourteen 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), 22 at Belmont (Jan. 6) and 21 vs. Eastern Illinois (Feb. 5), while Phillip Russell poured in 35 at SIU Edwardsville (Feb 7),  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). Chris Harris dropped in 22 points vs. Morehead State (Jan. 27). Reed, Jr. has a team-high ten 20-point games in his career.

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used nine different starting combinations through 26 games this year. Chase Thompson, Nygal Russell, Dylan Branson, Manny Patterson and Phillip Russell marked the ninth lineup when they took the court at SIU Edwardsville (Feb. 7). 

Free Throw Difference
Opponents have shot 60 more free throws than Southeast Missouri through 26 games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +52 (453-401) margin at the charity stripe. 

Balanced Attack
Three or more players have scored double figures for Southeast Missouri a total of 23 times this season. SEMO is 10-13 when at least three of its players reach double figures in the scoring column.