Focal point is winning as Redhawks WBB kicks off high-stakes weekend slate

Thursday night begins the back half of the Ohio Valley Conference season for Southeast Missouri State women’s basketball and, with just a 2-8 record in league play, it begins “crunch time” as well.

Going only to the top eight teams in the conference, both the men’s and women’s teams are on yearlong streaks without finishing in the top eight, but the men are in a far better position than the women with a month to go.

With a 4-15 overall record and currently on a seven-game losing streak, the Redhawks are in need of a redeeming victory of any sort, and with the UT Martin Skyhawks coming into town for a Thursday tilt, it isn’t getting any easier.

If the Redhawks can’t break their long slump Thursday night against the Skyhawks, there’s a golden opportunity with a rematch against No. 11 Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon at the Show Me Center.

With just 10 games left of the 20-game conference slate, the theme has shifted to “stealing” games as the Redhawks go through the final half of conference play.

Matching up with an intense rival in UT Martin, with the Skyhawks now right on par with Lindenwood as the Redhawks’ closest in-conference opponent geographically, SEMO is looking to break out of a separate three-game losing streak versus its visitors.

Facing off with the phenomenal Anaya Brown, leading the Skyhawks in points, rebounds and blocks, there’s a lot of talent flowing through a UT Martin roster that’s been, if anything, latent this season.

Sitting at seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference, UT Martin’s season has been less than extraordinary after taking the conference’s NCAA Tournament automatic qualifying bid last season.

At 4-6 in conference play, the Skyhawks are comfortably within reach of an OVC bid this season, but somehow logged the only conference loss of the year against Tennessee State. The Tigers are otherwise winless in conference play.

Notre Dame graduate and local phenom Lexi Rubel returns to town, halfway through her junior season with the Skyhawks averaging four points and five boards, plus one steal per game, having started every contest this year.

Moving into Saturday’s matchup, the Tennessee State game can’t be phrased any simpler: This is a must-win matchup for SEMO.

The Tigers have won five games this season, 5-15 overall, with a 1-9 record in the OVC in which it’s lost to every team but No. 7 UT Martin, halfway through the league year and having played every team once.

The last time the Tigers linked up with the Redhawks, it resulted in a seven-point SEMO victory in Nashville, with Indiya Bowen going on a 25-point, seven-rebound heater to lead the Redhawks to their second conference win of the year.

Conveniently, that’s when the losing streak began, now seven consecutive losses going back home and potentially an eighth if the UT Martin game goes by the wayside.

Somah Kamara leads the Tigers in scoring this season, putting up just over 14 points per game, while Aaniya Webb, Sanaa’ St. Andre and Saniah Parker are all averaging over 10 points per game.

Against a deep lineup, with 6-foot senior forward Lyric Cole averaging another 7 points down low, there’s a lot to prep for if Southeast wants to come away from this one with a victory again, but it would be an all-important contest to take home as the Redhawks chase a tournament berth.

Webb scored 21 points the last time the Redhawks matched up with the Tigers, while Cole added 15 points and 10 rebounds for a critical double-double as the hosts nearly held off visiting SEMO.

The Redhawks tip off against UT Martin at 5:15 p.m. Thursday and at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Tennessee State, looking to defend the Show Me Center in a two-game home slate.