Austin Peay might have lost some of its luster in Ohio Valley Conference basketball circles, but don't try and convince Southeast Missouri State University coach Gary Garner that the Governors aren't the league's most talented team.

When the Indians faced Austin Peay on Jan. 6 in Clarksville, Tenn., a national television audience on ESPN saw just why the Governors were the solid OVC preseason favorites as they put on a virtual clinic in destroying Southeast 88-60.

But shortly after that contest, the Govs went on a three-game OVC losing streak that included a stunning defeat at Tennessee-Martin, a setback at Murray State and a home loss to Tennessee Tech.

So the Govs (14-4 overall, 5-3 OVC) are only in fourth place in the nine-team league as they visit the Show Me Center for tonight's 7:05 tipoff against the suddenly surging Indians (13-7, 4-4), who have vaulted into fifth place and can pull into a fourth-place tie with a victory.

Garner, however, saw enough in that earlier meeting with Austin Peay to know just how well the Indians will have to perform in order to pull off the upset tonight.

"Austin Peay is the most talented team in our conference, no question about it," said Garner. "They just have an outstanding basketball team and when we played them earlier they looked just about unbeatable. I felt if they played like that, nobody in the league would touch them.

"They scare me more than anybody. Part of it is the way they handled us down there. They just beat the heck out of us. Their talent level is just really good."

Indians surging

While the defending OVC regular-season co-champion Indians might have dug themselves too big of an early hole in their quest to repeat that title -- they are three games behind leader Tennessee Tech, which is 7-1 -- their recent surge has definitely gotten them right back in the hunt for a high finish.

"I still don't know if we realistically have a chance to win the league," said Garner, whose squad has won three straight for the first time this season and is coming off two conference road victories, over Morehead State Saturday and Eastern Kentucky Monday. "But we've definitely got ourselves right back in the hunt (for a high finish)."

Austin Peay coach Dave Loos said after the Govs' earlier rout of the Indians that he expected a much different game when his team traveled to Cape Girardeau. And he was singing the same tune Wednesday afternoon.

"I definitely don't expect that kind of game (tonight). I know it's going to be a tough assignment for us," Loos said. "SEMO seems to be playing really well now and I'm sure Gary will have his guys ready to play. It's a big game for both teams."

Governors loaded

The Govs feature three of the OVC's top 10 scorers in 6-foot-5 senior swingman Trenton Hassell (20.9 points per game, No. 3), 6-1 senior guard Nick Stapleton (18.4 ppg, No. 6) and 6-8 senior center Joe Williams (15.0 ppg, No. 10).

Hassell, whose status as a potential first-round NBA draft pick has been well documented, ranks fourth in the league in rebounding (8.1), fourth in assists (4.4) and eighth in 3-point field-goal percentage (40.5).

Williams leads the OVC in field-goal percentage (59.3) and he is third in rebounding (8.3).

In the earlier romp past Southeast, Hassell hit nine of 11 shots and scored 21 points as the Govs pulled away after a relatively competitive first half.

"I hope Hassell doesn't go nine for 11 again," said a smiling Garner. "Really, you look at the stats of Hassell, Stapleton and Williams and you wonder how you're going to guard those guys. They're just very difficult to defend."

And the Govs have some weapons other than their big three. Rounding out the starting lineup are 6-7 senior forward Theanthony Haymon (8.4 ppg) and 6-3 sophomore guard Matt Jakeway (7.9 ppg).

Haymon is shooting a sizzling 64.5 percent from the field but fails to appear in the OVC statistics because he doesn't have enough field goals to qualify. Jakeway is fourth in the league in 3-point percentage (43.2).

"If you leave Jakeway open, then he can really shoot the ball and Haymon is also a good player," Garner said. "Their starting five is just very good."

Then why do the Govs, who most OVC coaches thought had the potential to run away and hide from the rest of the league, already have three conference losses? According to Loos, it's all been a matter of consistency.

"We've been inconsistent. We've been iffy, spotty," he said. "We'll play some really good basketball, and then in the same game play just some of the worst basketball you can imagine."

One reason the Govs might be just a bit vulnerable, reasons Garner, is the fact they allow opposing teams to shoot 49.2 percent from the field, which ranks last in the OVC. Of course, Austin Peay makes up for that with its offense; the Govs shoot 50 percent as a team to lead the league.

"Their field goal defense is not very good and that gives you a ray of hope I guess," Garner said. "But you still have to find a way to slow them down a little bit and that's very difficult."

Not that Garner is about to concede anything, however.

"Winning three in a row for the first time (this season), we should have a lot of confidence going into this game," he said. "We know it's a big challenge, but we're playing at home and we're looking forward to it."

Sanders No. 1

Southeast senior guard Amory Sanders is now ranked first nationally in NCAA Division I 3-point shooting at 55.4 percent.

Sanders, who had been No. 2 in the nation the past few weeks, has made 41 of 74 3-point attempts, which leads the OVC.