INDIANS `KAHN' WIN OUT OF GOVS; SOUTHEAST PICKS UP 1ST OVC WIN 73-61

Kahn Cotton did plenty of damage offensively Saturday night, scoring 19 of his game-high 21 points in the second half.

But it was Cotton's defense on Austin Peay sharpshooter Joe Sibbitt that just might have been the biggest factor during Southeast Missouri State University's key 73-61 Ohio Valley Conference victory.

A hyped-up season-high crowd of 6,071 at the Show Me Center saw the Indians improve their overall record to 4-2 and even their OVC mark at 1-1. Austin Peay fell to 2-4 overall, 0-2 in league play.

Cotton, the Indians' cat-quick 5-foot-10 junior guard who sat out last season after transferring from Idaho State, put on a show on both ends of the floor.

Offensively, he ignited the Indians in the second half and hit numerous key baskets to help Southeast hold off repeated challenges by the Governors.

Defensively, he totally shut down Sibbitt after the Govs' standout senior guard had drilled three 3-point baskets in the game's opening four minutes as Austin Peay jumped out to a quick 14-6 lead.

With Cotton draped all over him, Sibbitt did not have a field goal the rest of the way as he missed all five of his 3-point attempts. He scored only two more points, those coming on free throws in the game's final minute.

"Kahn is really playing defense," said an impressed Southeast coach Gary Garner. "Kahn had 21 points, but even more valuable was his defense. He just does a tremendous job.

"Sibbitt is a great shooter. We couldn't let him get off any more after that hot start. I mean, he hit one from way out there. I think Kahn's defense on Sibbitt was one of the keys to the game."

Cotton and fellow guard Cory Johnson combined to hit seven of 16 3-pointers and freshman Nathan Owen came off the bench to drill both of his long-range attempts as the Indians finished nine-for-18 from beyond the arc.

Johnson added 15 points while David Montgomery and Bud Eley both contributed 12. Eley led Southeast rebounders with seven while Johnson dished out a team-high five assists.

Austin Peay coach Dave Loos knew all about the talents of Southeast's inside-type players like Eley, Montgomery and White, who were all key performers last season.

But Loos came away particularly impressed by Southeast's first-year backcourt of Cotton and Johnson, a transfer from Three Rivers Community College.

"I'm really impressed with SEMO's team," said Loos. "They've really improved at the guard spots. Cotton just took over the game."

The Govs, who tied with Murray State for last year's OVC regular-season championship, were led offensively by Jerome Jackson with 13 points. Reggie Crenshaw had 12 and Sibbitt added 11.

"This is a big win for us. We really needed it," said Garner, whose squad had suffered a last-second 79-77 overtime loss to Tennessee State in Thursday's OVC opener. "It was a hard-fought, physical game between two good defensive teams. Shots were hard to come by.

"I'm really impressed with Austin Peay's organization. I really give coach Loos a lot of credit. But our defense was really strong tonight. I think we held our defensive intensity for a longer period of time than we have all year. And I think our half-court offense was the best it's been."

After Austin Peay's quick start, the Indians came back to take their first lead at 24-23. It was 31-31 late in the opening half when Montgomery scored the final four points, on two free throws and then a dunk just three seconds before the buzzer to put the Tribe ahead 35-31 at the break.

Johnson and Montgomery led the first-half charge with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Eley had eight.

Southeast never gave up the lead over the final 20 minutes although Austin Peay mounted repeated challenges.

Owen's 3-pointer with 12:54 left pushed the Indians in front 48-39, but the Govs clawed to within 50-46.

Cotton drilled a long 3-pointer midway through the half to make it 55-47, but a 6-0 Austin Peay run brought the Govs to within 55-53.

The Indians built their lead back to 61-53. After the Govs pulled back to within 63-57, Cotton drilled another long trey with just under four minutes left to make it 66-57.

Austin Peay never seriously threatened again as Johnson hit four free throws and Cotton three in the final moments.

Southeast will return to action Thursday night, visiting Southern Illinois for a non-conference game.