~ Key conference clash loomson Monday at Murray State.

Southeast Missouri State's surging women's basketball team is just a few days away from what it hopes will be a first-place Ohio Valley Conference showdown.

But the Redhawks know they can't begin to think about that until they confront their next obstacle -- today's game with Eastern Illinois.

The Redhawks (9-4, 4-1 OVC) will carry a six-game winning into the 5 p.m. tipoff against the Panthers (5-9, 2-3) at the Show Me Center.

On Monday, Southeast visits Murray State, which has won all five of its OVC games.

Southeast acting head coach John Ishee, however, has warned the Redhawks that thoughts of Murray State must be pushed into the background until after today's contest.

"All we're worried about right now is Eastern Illinois," Ishee said. "If we don't take care of business, then the Murray game won't mean as much."

Ishee said prior to this week that Southeast's upcoming four-game OVC stretch -- with three of the contests on the road -- could either separate the Redhawks from some of their conference competition or bring them back to much of the pack.

The Redhawks began things on a strong note Tuesday by winning 64-62 at Eastern Kentucky, as sophomore point guard Tarina Nixon's put-back basket with 24 seconds left put Southeast ahead for good.

"It's huge, to start off this tough stretch with a win," Ishee said. "Eastern Kentucky was a team that was right there near us in the standings, so it allowed us to get some separation from them.

"Now, Eastern Illinois is another team that is right up there near us."

The Panthers have actually dipped into a sixth-place tie in the 11-team OVC as they have lost two straight conference games and suffered three consecutive defeats overall.

But Ishee expects the Panthers to present Southeast with plenty of problems, particularly defensively because Eastern Illinois averages an OVC-best 80.2 points per game.

On the other hand, the Panthers allow a league-worst 82.2 points per contest.

"They're really running and pressing, like a lot of Southeast's teams have in the past," Ishee said.

Eastern Illinois features the OVC's Nos. 2 and 3 scorers in 6-foot-2 sophomore forward Rachel Galligan and 5-7 freshman guard Jessica Huffman.

Galligan averages 18.4 points per game and shoots 50.3 percent from the field.

Huffman averages 18.1 points per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from 3-point range.

Galligan and Huffman each average 19.8 points in OVC play.

Huffman scored a school-record 38 points in a loss to Morehead State on Dec. 20.

Southeast junior forward Missy Whitney is the OVC's No. 6 scorer and No. 4 rebounder, with averages of 14.2 points and 8.3 boards.

She averages 16.6 points in league games.

Southeast junior guard Ashley Lovelady is the OVC's No. 13 scorer with a 12.7 average.

Redhawks' senior center Lachelle Lyles continues to lead the nation in rebounding with 16.3 per game.

Three of the OVC's seven most accurate 3-point shooters will be on display today.

Whitney (48.4 percent, 15 of 31) is fifth and Nixon (42.9 percent, 21 of 49) seventh for the Redhawks.

Senior guard Meggie Eck (43.5 percent, 40 of 92) is sixth for the Panthers, and she has made the most 3-pointers in the conference.

"We expect another tough game," Nixon said. "We just want to keep the momentum going that we've built up with this winning streak."