#5 Southeast Missouri (16-16) vs. #4 Tennessee State (18-13)
Game Information
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2023 (Quarterfinals)
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m., CT
Location: Evansville, Ind.
Facility: Ford Center (11,000)
Series: TSU leads, 29-28
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (41-50 overall; 41-50 at SEMO; 27-28 OVC).Brian "Penny" Collins (64-85 overall; 64-85 at TSU; 36-56 OVC).
Follow the Redhawks
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Video: ESPN+ (Connor Onion, Bob Belvin)
Live Stats: OVCSports.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)
OVC Information
Tournament Program
Tournament Central: OVCSports.com
Bracket: Men's Bracket
Tickets: Ticketmaster.com
Redhawks Face #4 Tennessee State
#5 Southeast Missouri (16-16) moves on to face #4 Tennessee State (18-13) in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Thursday. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m., CT at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will be on the call. Video can be accessed at ESPN+. Live stats are available at OVCSports.com and Twitter updates will be provided @SEMOMBB.
Series History
Tennessee State holds a slight 29-28 lead in the all-time series between the teams. Southeast Missouri won five of the last seven games of the series. SEMO and TSU split their season series with each team winning at home. The Redhawks beat the Tigers, 92-75, in Cape Girardeau on Jan. 26 and the Tigers beat the Redhawks, 85-65, in Nashville on Feb. 9.
Down to Six
The 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament field is down to six teams following Wednesday's first round action. Each of the tournament's top six seeds remain, including#1 Morehead State, #2 Tennessee Tech, #3 UT Martin, #4 Tennessee State, #5 Southeast Missouri and #6 SIU Edwardsville. SEMO eliminated #8 Lindenwood and SIUE bounced #7 Southern Indiana from the tournament Wednesday.
Third-Straight OVC Tournament
Southeast Missouri is in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the third year in a row under Head Coach Brad Korn. Korn has taken the Redhawks to the league's postseason tournament all three of his seasons as head coach. In his first year at the SEMO helm, Korn led the Redhawks to their first OVC Tournament in five years during the 2020-21 campaign. The last time SEMO made three-straight OVC Tournament appearances was 2013-15.
Another OVC Tournament Win for Korn
Wednesday's first round 84-65 win over #8 Lindenwood gave Head Coach Brad Korn his second Ohio Valley Conference Tournament victory. Korn is now 2-2 all-time at the league's postseason tournament. He picked up a win at the event in two-straight seasons.
18th OVC Tournament Berth
This year marks the Redhawks 18th trip to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in program history. Southeast Missouri made the league's postseason event in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023. SEMO is 13-16 all-time in the OVC Tournament. The Redhawks won their only OVC Tournament title and made their only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2000. The Redhawks have been in the championship game twice (1999, 2000) and the semifinals on four occasions (1999, 2000, 2005, 2022).
#5 Seed
Southeast Missouri is the #5 seed in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the fifth time in its program history. SEMO was also the #5 seed in the 1998, 2001, 2012 and 2017 tournaments. The Redhawks hold a 3-4 OVC Tournament record as the #5 seed.
Records vs. Seeds
Here is how Southeast Missouri has fared against all seeds in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
vs. #1 Seed................................................................. 1-3
vs. #2 Seed...............................................................0-4
vs. #3 Seed................................................................2-4
vs. #4 Seed...............................................................0-4
vs. #5 Seed.................................................................1-1
vs. #6 Seed............................................................... 2-0
vs. #7 Seed...............................................................4-0
vs. #8 Seed............................................................... 3-0
Against This Year's Field
Southeast Missouri is a combined 7-8 against the other seven teams that completed this year's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. SEMO split its season series with Morehead State, Southern Indiana, SIU Edwardsville, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State going 1-1 in all those instances. The Redhawks lost both of their games against UT Martin and went 2-1 vs. Lindenwood.
OVC Tournament Experience
Three players, including Chris Harris, Dylan Branson and Nate Johnson are experiencing the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, Phillip Russell is in his second-straight trip to the league's postseason tournament. Israel Barnes, Josh Earley, Aquan Smart, Evan Eursher, Tevin Goins, Josh Mitchell, Mason Hanback and Adam Larson are at the OVC Tournament for the first time.
Same Quarterfinal Matchup, Different Year
Southeast Missouri will face Tennessee State in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Quarterfinals for the second year in a row. SEMO, then seeded #4, eliminated then #5 TSU, 79-55, in 2022. The Redhawks are 2-0 all-time against the Tigers in the OVC Tournament.
It's Going to be Physical
The last time Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State met was on Feb. 9. That game resulted in a combined 54 personal and 11 technical fouls between the teams. The Tigers came away with a 85-65 win and committed seveven of the technical fouls. Meanwhile, SEMO had four players foul out in a regulation game that went nearly three hours.
Approach the Bench
Josh Earley and Evan Eursher gave Southeast Missouri a big lift off the bench to help Southeast Missouri to its first-round Ohio Valley Conference Tournament win over Lindenwood (Mar. 1). Earley scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the second double-double of his career, while Eursher dropped in a season-high 13 points. Both Earley and Eursher played 21 minutes.
Nice Work Underneath
Southeast Missouri never trailed for the final 21:34 of its win over #8 Lindenwood (Mar. 1). SEMO man-handled LU on the boards for a 50-34 (+16) advantage. The Redhawks had 17 offensive rebounds and outscored the Lions, 17-0, in second-chance points. Josh Earley had 12 rebounds, while Dylan Branson and Nate Johnson followed with seven and six, respectively.
Strong Start
The Redhawks started the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a win for the second year in a row when the beat #8 Lindenwood Wednesday. In 2022, Southeast Missouri, then seeded #4, beat Tennessee State, 79-55, in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual tournament champion Murray State, 71-67, in the semifinals. SEMO last won its first OVC Tournament game in two-straight seasons during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns. The Redhawks won first-round games in each of those years.
OVC Tournament Titles
Of the teams in this year's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, Morehead State, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Southeast Missouri have won the league's postseason championship. MSU leads the conference with five OVC Tournament titles and TSU is second with two. TTU and SEMO have each won the event one time.
Welcome to the Club
Chris Harris, Southeast Missouri's second-leading scorer with 14.6 points a game, recently went over 1,000 career points when he scored 20 vs. Southern Indiana (Feb. 18). Harris now has 1,076 points and is the 25th member of SEMO's 1,000-point club.
Another Countdown to 1,000
Phillip Russell, who leads the Redhawks with 549 points and an 18.2 points per game average this season, has 948 points in his career. Russell needs 52 more to join Southeast Missouri's 1,000-point club.
Top Two Scorers Battle Again
The Ohio Valley Conference's top two scorers will go head-to-head again Thursday. Tennessee State's Jr. Clay leads the league with 18.8 points per game and Southeast Missouri's Phillip Russell is close behind with 18.2. Combined, Clay scored 49 points and Russell scored 44 in the first two games between the teams this season.
About Tennessee State
Starting with its win over Southeast Missouri in Nashville on Feb. 9, Tennessee State has won four of six games. TSU is second in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring (77.9 ppg) and field goal percentage (.451), and third in 3-pointers made (275). Jr. Clay is the league's top scorer with 18.8 points per game and Adong Makuoi leads the OVC in field goal percentage (.622). Clay also leads the conference with 5.6 assists per game.
