Southeast Missouri (11-13, 6-5 OVC) at Austin Peay (7-14, 3-8 OVC)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, February 10, 2022
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m., CT
Location: Clarksville, Tenn.
Facility: Dunn Center (7,257)
Series: APSU leads, 43-24
Last Meeting: SEMO 98, APSU 79 (Jan. 1, 2022 | Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (22-29 overall, 22-29 at SEMO; 15-16 OVC). Nate James (7-14 overall; 7-14 at APSU)..

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

Redhawks Visit Austin Peay Thursday
Southeast Missouri (11-13, 6-5) visits Austin Peay (7-14, 3-8) Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., CT at the Dunn Center.

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+. Live stats are available at LetsGoPeay.com. Twitter updates provided @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Austin Peay hook up for the 68th time on the back end of their Ohio Valley Conference home-and-home series. SEMO beat the Governors, 98-79, at the Show Me Center on Jan. 1. The Redhawks have won each of the last two matchups in the series between these teams. 

Five of Seven
Southeast Missouri won five of its last seven contests. SEMO's losses in that stretch were a one-point (74-73) overtime setback against Morehead State (Jan. 27) and an 84-63 defeat at UT Martin (Feb. 3). 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 won two of their first three games in February.

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 6-5 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 six conference games remaining.

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).

First Career Start
Freshman Chase Thompson was inserted into the starting lineup for his first career start when Southeast Missouri's numbers shrunk to seven players at SIU Edwardsville (Feb. 7). Thompson scored a season-high 10 points and had five rebounds in a season-best 35 minutes  against the Cougars.

Thursday Status
As of now, the Redhawks enter their second game this week with only seven players when they travel to Austin Peay. Eric Reed, Jr., DQ Nicholas, Nana Akenten and Chris Harris will likely be out again due to COVID protocols.

Redhawks Sweep Eastern Illinois
Southeast Missouri completed a two-game sweep of Eastern Illinois when it defeated the Panthers, 63-56, on Feb. 5. SEMO swept EIU for the fourth time in five years. It is the Redhawks first series sweep this year.

3-Point Ambush
The Redhawks made their first five 3-pointers of the game to seize the momentum early in their recent win over Eastern Illinois (Feb. 5). Southeast Missouri finished with 11 threes in the game, including seven during the first half. Eric Reed, Jr. made five 3-pointers, while five six others (Phillip Russell, Nygal Russell, Dylan Branson, Chase Thompson, Chris Harris, Nana Akenten) drained one apiece. SEMO made 26 three-pointers in two games against EIU this season.

Great Effort
Southeast Missouri limited Eastern Illinois to only 15 points in the first half of its 63-56 win on Feb. 5. SEMO led, 34-15, at the intermission after holding the Panthers to just 26 percent (6-of-23) from the field in the opening stanza. It was the fewest points SEMO allowed in a first half of basketball this season. It also marked the first time the Redhawks held an Ohio Valley Conference opponent under 20 first-half points since Feb. 11, 2016 (32-15, vs. UT Martin).

Turnover Frenzy
The Redhawks forced 21 turnovers against Eastern Illinois (Feb. 5). The 21 miscues are currently the most Southeast Missouri has forced through 23 games this year. SEMO scored a season-best 29 points off those turnovers and held a +17 (29-12) margin in that category against the Panthers.

Last Time vs. Austin Peay
 Eric Reed, Jr. dropped in a career-high 34 points and Southeast Missouri knocked down 17 three-pointers in a dominating 98-79 win over Austin Peay on Jan. 1 at the Show Me Center. SEMO picked up its first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season in a matchup where it never trailed for 40 minutes. The Redhawks stormed out of the gate and built a 17-3 lead in the first 5:29 of the contest and never turned back.

Double-Digit Rebounds
Nygal Russell posted double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season when he just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine boards vs. SIU Edwardsville (Jan. 29). Russell also had 15 rebounds at Southern Illinois (Dec. 15), 11 vs. Youngstown State (Nov. 13) and 10 at Pepperdine (Dec. 18). He leads the Redhawks and ranks sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference with 6.7 rebounds a game.

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.

Defense Tightens Up
The Redhawks pinned SIU Edwardsville to a season-low 47 points in their latest win on Feb. 7. Southeast Missouri also held Tennessee State (63, Jan. 20) and Eastern Illinois (58, Jan. 22; 57, Feb. 5) to 63 points or less this year. 

Putting Up the Points
Southeast Missouri has scored over 80 points in seven of its 11 Ohio Valley Conference games. As a result, SEMO ranks third in the league with 77.9 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 10.2 three-pointers made in Ohio Valley Conference games. SEMO buried 112 three-pointers in 11 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 the top 3-point shooting team in OVC play with a 37.1 percent (112-of-302) 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 624 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 638 points at SEMO. Meanwhile, Nygal Russell has 629 points.

Doing the Dishes
Redshirt-freshman Phillip Russell dished out a season-high eight assists at Eastern Illinois (Jan. 22). Russell averaged 5.5 assists in his last five starts. He leads Southeast Missouri with 67 assists and ranks 13th in the Ohio Valley Conference in that category. Russell had six or more assists in a game three times this season.

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 73.4 percent (373-of-508) at the line through 24 games. SEMO is shooting over 21.2 free throws per game. 

On the Rebound
The Redhawks outrebounded SIU Edwardsville, 43-34, marking only the fifth time this season where they won the battle of the boards. Southeast Missouri's +15 rebounding margin (42-27) at Eastern Illinois (Jan. 22) was its largest this year. SEMO also outrebounded Missouri State (33-30), Evansville (37-31) and SIUE (38-30).

Starting Combinations
The Redhawks have used nine different starting combinations through 24 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 24 games this year. As a result, opponents are outscoring the Redhawks by a +47 (420-373) margin at the charity stripe.