Nelke will have MRI today on left wrist

The hero of Saturday's buzzer victory has had an ongoing injury.

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian

Despite hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat South Dakota State Saturday night, all is still not well with Southeast Missouri State University senior guard Mike Nelke's left wrist.

Southeast coach Gary Garner said Tuesday that X-rays recently taken appear to indicate either a slight break or a deep contusion. Garner said Nelke is scheduled to have an MRI today, which should determine just exactly what is wrong with the wrist.

"He's still been having problems with it," Garner said.

Nelke's only basket of the season so far lifted Southeast (2-3) to a wild 59-58 win over visiting South Dakota State after the Jackrabbits led by 17 points with 8:34 remaining. Nelke has seen limited action so far because of the injury.

"You're so happy for a kid when they're able to do that," Garner said. "You think he'll ever forget that shot? He'll be telling his grandkids about it."

Garner believes there is a solid chance that Nelke, a key member of Southeast's guard rotation, will be able to play Thursday night when Southeast hosts Montana (2-3) no matter what the MRI determines. But Garner added: "You really just don't know. It worries you that it keeps bothering him."

Also on the injury front, junior forward James White continues to be sidelined with a knee ailment that could force him to miss the entire season. White has not yet seen any game action and he has participated in only a few practices.

But Southeast was bolstered Saturday night by the return of senior guard Derek Winans, who had missed the first four games with a stress fracture. Winans appeared healthy and played 18 minutes.

"Derek had a good first outing and it was great to have him back," Garner said. "

Coneicao honored again

Southeast women's basketball player Tatiana Conceicao has been awarded the Ohio Valley Conference's newcomer of the week award for the second time this season.

Conceicao, a 6-foot-2 junior center, scored a career-high 27 points during Southeast's only game last week, a 77-56 win at Southern Illinois. The former junior college All-American has scored 26 or more points in three of Southeast's five games, and she is averaging 21.2 points per contest.

Southeast (4-1) will carry a four-game winning streak into the Waikiki Beach Mariott Invitational hosted by the University of Hawaii Thursday and Friday.

Southeast, which left for Honolulu Tuesday, will play Hawaii (1-2) Thursday and Brigham Young (4-1) Friday. Both games will begin at 11 p.m. CST.