Otahks brace for big OVC rematch

Southeast, Eastern Kentucky to battle for sole possession of second place in conference.

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian

Southeast Missouri State University first-year women's coach B.J. Smith doesn't hold back regarding the significance of today's game against Eastern Kentucky.

The winner of the contest at the Show Me Center will have sole possession of second place in the Ohio Valley Conference and stay on the heels of league-leading Austin Peay. The loser will still be mathematically in the running for the OVC regular-season title, but its chances would diminish greatly.

"In our infancy as a staff and a basketball program, this is the biggest game we've had so far," Smith said. "If we're going to establish ourselves as one of the better teams in the conference, this is our biggest game. We need a lot of support, as many fans as possible.

"Eastern Kentucky is an established program, one of the better programs in the OVC over the years. We need to prove ourselves to be a contender."

Southeast is 13-6 overall and a second-place 7-2 in the OVC, one-half game ahead of EKU (14-6, 6-2). Austin Peay (16-3, 9-0) is setting a torrid pace at the top.

"To stay in the hunt for the title, both teams really need to win this game," Smith said.

A chance to avenge loss

Southeast will have a chance to avenge an 88-77 loss at EKU on Jan. 13. The Otahkians fell behind 19-4 in the early going, rallied to within 45-44 at halftime and were tied with about six minutes left before the Colonels pulled away for good. Southeast was hurt by 30 turnovers.

"We didn't play well the last time against them," Smith said. "Some of that was probably them, and part of it was probably because that was the first big game in the conference this group has been in.

"We've been looking forward to this one every since then. Now we have a chance to even the score against them."

Southeast senior forward Lori Chase, one of just three players who returned from last year's squad, said the Otahkians are primed for the rematch.

"It's our turn to beat them. It's a huge game," Chase said.

Chase, the reigning OVC Player of the Week, has scored 70 points in the last three games, all Southeast victories. She has taken over the team scoring lead with 14.6 points per contest after also leading the Otahkians in that department the last two seasons.

Chase, with 1,375 points, continues to move up Southeast's career scoring list. She's in fifth place, just 23 points out of fourth place and only 88 away from third place.

Smith figures all the Otahkians will have to perform well to beat a strong EKU squad that leads the OVC offensively with 79.4 points per game. Southeast is the league's second-most potent team with 76.7 points per game, which should make for quite an entertaining matchup.

"They're a very good team and it's going to be a big test for us," Smith said.