NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee State has had one of the worst seasons in NCAA Division I basketball in recent years, but the Tigers get one final chance to do something positive.

That's why Southeast Missouri State University coach Gary Garner is fearful of tonight's 7:30 p.m. tipoff at the Gentry Center that will end the regular season for both the Tigers and Indians.

The Tigers (2-24, 0-15) have lost 20 straight games and have been assured of finishing last in the nine-team OVC, meaning they won't qualify for next week's eight-team conference tournament.

Southeast (10-18, 4-11), in eighth place in the league, will look for momentum prior to the OVC Tournament -- and the Indians will try to avoid being the squad that TSU finally broke its losing streak against.

"It's senior night, and they're playing in front of their fans for the last time," Garner said. "It's one of those games that really worries you."

The Indians need a win tonight to finish tied for seventh with Eastern Kentucky (5-11) in the final conference standings. If that happens, Southeast owns the tie-breaker with the Colonels and will be the No. 7 seed for the OVC Tournament.

Either way, Southeast will open the tournament on the road Tuesday night against either Morehead State (13-2) or Austin Peay (12-3), who square off tonight to decide the regular-season title. Austin Peay owns the tie-breaker for the No. 1 seed if the squads finish deadlocked.

"It would be nice to go into the tournament coming off a a win," Southeast sophomore guard Derek Winans said.

Southeast also has struggled with seven straight OVC losses. The Indians fell at Tennessee Tech 89-73 Thursday night.

But that pales in comparison to TSU's trouble both on and off the court.

The Tigers were jolted in early January when coach Nolan Richardson III resigned under pressure after he allegedly brought a handgun on to campus following an argument with assistant coach Hosea Lewis.

Lewis was appointed interim coach, a role he has filled for all but one game since Richardson's departure. Lewis was suspended by the OVC for one contest after several TSU and Eastern Kentucky players became involved in a brawl.

"I know it's been a really tough situation for them, with all that's gone on" Garner said. "But I know they would like nothing better than to end the season with a win."

TSU has not won since Dec. 18 at Morris Brown. During the Tigers' 20-game losing streak, then have lost just once by a single-figure margin -- and that five-point setback came against non-league foe Morris Brown. Almost every OVC contest has been a blowout for TSU.

Included during that streak is an 87-67 loss to Southeast on Jan. 30 at the Show Me Center. The Indians shot 61 percent in the first half to lead by 30 points at halftime and coasted to victory.

But Garner warns that the Tigers have the talent to beat any OVC team on a given night. And they have hung tough for a while with quite a few conference squads before fading in the second half.

"It's important that we don't let them get off to a good start," Garner said. "When we played them at our place we really jumped on them early, and we need to try and do that again. If we let them hang around and get confidence, they'll be dangerous."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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