Southeast Missouri (11-16, 6-8 OVC) at Morehead State (20-8, 12-3 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Saturday, February 19, 2022
Tip-Off: 3 p.m., CT
Location: Morehead, Ky.
Facility: Johnson Arena (6,500)
Series: MSU leads, 35-19
Last Meeting: MSU 74, SEMO 73 (OT) (Jan. 27, 2022 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (22-32 overall, 22-32 at SEMO; 15-19 OVC). Preston Spradlin (89-85 overall; 89-85 at MSU).

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

Redhawks Travel to Morehead State for Final Road Contest
Southeast Missouri (11-16, 6-8) travels to Morehead State (20-8, 12-3) for its final road game of the regular-season Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m., CT at Johnson Arena.

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 MSUEagles.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Morehead State meet for the 55th time Saturday. MSU leads the all-time series, 35-19, and holds a six-game winning streak against the Redhawks. The Eagles edged the Redhawks, 74-73, in overtime on Jan. 27 at the Show Me Center.

Final Road Game
The Redhawks are looking to snap a three-game losing streak entering Saturday's game against Morehead State. Southeast Missouri lost at Austin Peay (74-66, Feb. 10) and dropped an 81-72 decision at home to Belmont (Feb. 12). Most recently, SEMO came up short at Tennessee Tech, 98-94, in a high scoring affair Thursday. Saturday marks the Redhawks final road game of the season.

Last Time vs. Morehead State
Eric Reed, Jr.'s desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer came off the backboard and Morehead State survived with a 74-73 overtime win over Southeast Missouri in a nationally-televised ESPNU matchup at the Show Me Center on Jan. 27. SEMO led by as many as 14 points in the game, but MSU continued to chip away and eventually got by SEMO. Chris Harris paved the way for the Redhawks with 22 points. The Redhawks were without their starting point guard Phillip Russell due to COVID protocols.

Thursday Recap
After Tennessee Tech used a 17-2 run to overcome a double-digit first-half lead and carry a 44-40 advantage into the locker room at halftime, Southeast Missouri never led again in a close 98-94 loss Thursday. SEMO was within three or less points a total of 21 times in the second half, but couldn't get the lead. The Golden Eagles also made 11-straight free throws in the final 1:29 to seal the win for good. The Redhawks and TTU met for the first time this season after their orginally scheduled Jan. 13 game in Cape Girardeau was postponed due to COVID protocols.

Great Start from Long Range
Southeast Missouri began Thursday's game at Tennessee Tech by draining seven 3-pointers in a row. The Redhawks finished with 12 threes, including four from both Eric Reed, Jr. and Nana Akenten, and three by Phillip Russell.

Reed, Jr. Puts Up Career-High
Eric Reed, Jr. put up a career-high 35 points in Southeast Missouri's loss to Tennessee Tech (Feb. 17). Reed, Jr., who scored 23 points in the second half, shot 11-of-24 from the field, knocked down four 3-pointers and made 9-of-11 free throws. He also dished out five assists. Reed, Jr. scored over 30 points in a game for the second time this season.

Season OVC Road High
The Redhawks scored their most points in an Ohio Valley Conference road game this season when it scored 94 at Tennessee Tech (Feb. 17). Southeast Missouri scored over 80 points against a league foe on the road for the third time.

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, was back at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 17. SEMO now has its full roster of 12 available players. 

Redhawks Stand in Fourth
The Redhawks (6-8) are fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference standings heading into Saturday's matchup with Morehead State. Both Tennessee State and Austin Peay are right behind Southeast Missouri with 6-9 league marks.

First Career Double-Double for Patterson
Manny Patterson matched a season-high 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his first career double-double as a Redhawk at Tennessee Tech (Feb. 17). Patterson shot 8-of-13 from the field and did not miss a free throw (4-of-4). His 10 rebounds marked a career-best. Patterson's double-double came five days after he scored a season-high 20 points vs. Belmont (Feb. 12).

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. 

Depleted Redhawks Crush SIUE
Hours before Southeast Missouri left for its trip to SIU Edwardsville (Feb. 7), four of the Redhawks top six scorers (Eric Reed, Jr., Chris Harris, DQ Nicholas, Nana Akenten) were ruled out due to COVID protocols. As a result, SEMO won that game by a score of 76-47 with only seven players. The 29-point victory matched the Redhawks largest win in an Ohio Valley Conference road contest.

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).

Another 30-Point Game for Reed, Jr.
Eric Reed, Jr. scored over 30 points for the second time this season when he poured in 35 at Tennessee Tech (Feb. 17). Reed, Jr. has scored 20 or more points in a game a team-high eight times in 2021-22.

Largest OVC Road Win
The Redhawks recently matched their largest Ohio Valley Conference road win in program history when it stomped SIU Edwardsville, 76-47, on Feb. 7. Southeast Missouri also pounded Eastern Illinois, 87-58, on Jan. 22. The victories surpassed a 27-point (108-81) win at Austin Peay on Feb. 28, 2013.

Putting Up the Points
Southeast Missouri has scored over 80 points in eight of its 14 Ohio Valley Conference games. As a result, SEMO ranks third in the league with 77.8 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).

Akenten Rises
Nana Akenten came off the bench to score double figures in seven of his last 10 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), 12 points at Eastern Illinois (Jan. 22), 11 vs. SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 29) and 10 at UT Martin (Feb. 3). He is Southeast Missouri's third-leading scorer in Ohio Valley Conference play with 9.8 points per game.

Redhawks for Three!
Southeast Missouri is averaging a league-best 9.7three-pointers made in Ohio Valley Conference games. SEMO buried 136 three-pointers in 14 conference matchups. The Redhawks made a season-high 17 three-pointers vs. Austin Peay (Jan. 1) and have drained 12 or more in five of their OVC contests. SEMO is first in 3-point shooting during OVC play with a 35.7 percent (136-of-381) clip.

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used nine different starting combinations through 27 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 72 more free throws than Southeast Missouri through 27 games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +57 (476-419) margin at the charity stripe. 

Balanced Attack
Three or more players have scored double figures for Southeast Missouri a total of 24 times this season. SEMO is 10-14 when at least three of its players reach double figures in the scoring column.