Southeast women sign two on national signing day

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team will try to get back on the winning track today when the Redhawks host Missouri-Kansas City in a 6:30 p.m. tipoff.

Prior to that, Southeast coach Ty Margenthaler believes the Redhawks came away winners Wednesday as the NCAA's weeklong early signing period got under way.

Margenthaler filled his two available scholarships for next season by signing 6-foot post player Imani Johnson from Lee's Summit, Mo., and 5-11 guard Kayley Leyhue from Martin, Tenn. Both are high school seniors.

"I am very excited about both these players. They're both great students in addition to being very good players with bright futures," Margenthaler said. "Both came to our camps and we've been on them for a while. They'll be great additions to our team."

Johnson, already a two-time first-team Class 5 all-state selection in Missouri, has been the team MVP at Lee's Summit North High School the past three years.

Johnson ranks third in career scoring at Lee's Summit North with 1,160 points. She has cracked numerous other top-10 career lists, including free throws (first, 421), free-throw percentage (second, 74.5), rebounds (second, 652), blocked shots (fourth, 73), and double-doubles (first, 31).

"She's a double-double type player, very physical inside on the block, but she also has the skill level to step outside," Margenthaler said.

Leyhue led Westview High School to the AA state final eight as a junior last season when she earned all-district, all-region and all-West Tennessee honors.

Leyhue, recently named to the Jackson Sun's Super Senior team heading into her senior year, has hit 101 3-pointers while scoring 823 points and grabbing 554 rebounds so far during her prep career.

"I love a big guard. She can really, really shoot the basketball, something we need to continue to have in our offense," Margenthaler said.

Margenthaler noted that the Redhawks will actually have four new players next year.

That's because Alabama transfer guard Jasmine Robinson must sit out this season under NCAA transfer rules while she practices with the squad and freshman guard Ashton Luttrull will take a medical redshirt due to an injury.

"So we'll be adding four key players next year," Margenthaler said.

As for today's game, the Redhawks (1-1) will look to rebound from Monday's 72-68 home loss to Bradley during which Southeast saw an 18-point second-half lead slip away.

"It was a tough one to swallow, but we did a lot of good things," Margenthaler said.

UMKC (0-1) has played just one game, Saturday's 77-70 loss at North Texas.

The Kangaroos are coming off a season that saw them go 9-21 overall and 5-11 during their final year in the Summit League. They are in their first season in the Western Athletic Conference.

UMKC returned four starters from a squad that beat Southeast 69-64 in Kansas City early last season.

"They're going to be a very good team, well coached. We'll definitely have our hands full," Margenthaler said.

Men on TV

The Southeast men's basketball team does not expect to sign any players early but the Redhawks did learn Wednesday that one of their games will be nationally televised this season.

The Ohio Valley Conference announced a slate of four men's basketball games that will air on the CBS Sports Network. Southeast's Feb. 12 home matchup against Tennessee-Martin is part of that lineup.

Southeast (1-1) is back in action Saturday, visiting IUPUI (0-2) for a noon tipoff in Indianapolis, Ind. The Redhawks conclude their two-game road trip Monday with a 6 p.m. matchup against Ball State (1-1) in Muncie, Ind.

IUPUI is coming off an 84-78 home loss to Evansville. The Jaguars dropped their opener at Utah Valley 74-66.

The Jaguars, who play at Southeast on Dec. 23, went 6-26 overall and 1-15 in the Summit League last year.

"It'll be different," Southeast coach Dickey Nutt said of the Redhawks' first road trip of the season featuring multiple games. "We feel like we can compete night in and night out, that we can win night in and night out, no matter who we play."