Macy brings struggling Morehead to town tonight

~ Southeast hosts the 1-15 Eagles, who are winless in conference play.

Morehead State coach Kyle Macy expected his team to experience some growing pains this year, since the Eagles returned just two players from last season.

But the Eagles (1-15, 0-10 Ohio Valley Conference) have perhaps struggled even a bit more than Macy envisioned as they enter tonight's 7:30 game at Southeast Missouri State (6-11, 3-8).

"Maybe a little more disappointed, but there are reasons we can look to, as far as having a young team," said Macy, a former Kentucky All-American and NBA player. "We needed to get some confidence under our belt, but our nonconference schedule, we only played two home games, and it's hard to get confidence that way.

The Eagles are just a few years removed from earning their first OVC regular-season title in 20 years when they tied for the 2002-03 crown.

That was part of three consecutive winning seasons for the Eagles under Macy, something the program had also not accomplished in two decades.

But, since going 16-13 in 2003-04, the Eagles have fallen on hard times. Last year, they were 11-16 overall and a ninth-place 5-11 in the 11-team OVC.

That led to the Eagles being picked to finish last in the OVC preseason poll. They returned just two players and less than 15 points of offense.

Even though the prediction has turned out to be correct -- at least so far -- Macy said, "For the most part, I think they've given pretty good effort."

After opening the season with a 123-83 blowout of Kentucky Christian -- which competes in the National Christian College Athletic Association -- the Eagles have lost 15 straight games. Dating back to last year, they have suffered 17 consecutive defeats to Division I competition.

But, until Saturday's 88-65 home loss to Jacksonville State, Morehead State had been showing marked signs of improvement.

Although the Eagles have been outscored by an OVC-worst 15.6 points per game, their previous four losses prior to Saturday had been by nine, two, five (in overtime) and one.

Perhaps no defeat was crueler to the Eagles than last Thursday's 65-64 heartbreaker against visiting Samford. Morehead State led Samford -- one of the league's top teams -- by 18 points in the first half, by 15 points in the second half and by 10 points with 1:14 remaining.

But the Bulldogs stunningly made up that deficit by scoring 13 of the final 15 points and won on a basket with 2.7 seconds to play.

"We've had some opportunities," Macy said. "I think that [Saturday's lopsided loss] just showed our lack of mental toughness, not being able to bounce back.

"But we did have a stretch where we were playing a lot better. Now we have to get back to that, giving the right effort. If our guys go out and do what they're supposed to, we think we can compete."

As might be expected from a squad that does not have a Division I win and has been outscored on average by more than 15 points per game, the Eagles rank toward the bottom in most OVC team statistical categories.

Offensively, Morehead State is 10th in scoring (60.8 ppg), ninth in field-goal percentage (41.9) and 10th in 3-point percentage (30.8).

Defensively, the Eagles are 10th in points allowed (76.4 ppg), 10th in field-goal percentage allowed (47.4) and 10th in 3-point percentage allowed (37.9). They are also last in rebounding margin (minus-5.7).

The Eagles are led offensively by forward Shaun Williams, a 6-foot-6 junior college transfer who averages 16.9 points and shoots 52.4 percent from the field.

While Morehead State's record suggests it is one of the nation's worst Division I squads, Southeast coach Gary Garner sees some of the Eagles' recent scores and knows they are not to be taken lightly.

"They've played some people really close lately," Garner said. "We certainly can't think they're going to be an easy team to beat just because of their record."

And it's not like Southeast is much better off than Morehead State. The Redhawks, who also returned few players from last year, are on a season-high four-game losing streak that has dropped them to ninth place in the conference.

"We need a win badly," Garner said. "It doesn't matter who we're playing, we just need to win."