Redhawks attempt first season sweep of Racers

As Southeast Missouri State continues its push up the Ohio Valley Conference standings, the Redhawks have a chance to accomplish something they have never done before in Division I:~ Southeast has never accomplished the feat against the perennial OVC power.

Sweep the regular-season series from arch-rival Murray State.

The Redhawks (8-13, 6-6 OVC) and Racers (8-11, 6-5) square off at 7:30 tonight at the Show Me Center.

Southeast won the earlier meeting with the Racers, 96-85 on Jan. 8 in Murray, Ky.

Twice since moving up to Division I in the 1991-92 season, Southeast has won two games in the same campaign against the Racers, but the formula in both instances was one regular-season victory and one OVC tournament triumph.

"As balanced as this league is, it would be an accomplishment to sweep anybody," Southeast coach Scott Edgar said. "But to consider that Southeast has never done that before against Murray State ... it would be a big accomplishment if we could pull it off."

Despite what the Redhawks did to the Racers earlier this month -- or perhaps because of that outcome -- Edgar believes it will be more difficult for Southeast to pull off the sweep tonight.

Edgar knows first-hand the pride associated with Murray's program, having coached the Racers from 1991 through 1995 and compiling a four-year record of 79-40, including two NCAA tournament appearances.

"I think their pride was hurt when we went in there and beat them," Edgar said. "I know they'll throw everything at us."

Not to mention that the Racers are the defending OVC regular-season and tournament champions.

"My feelings about them are the same as when we went over there earlier," Edgar said. "They are the conference champions until somebody unseats them."

As far as the regular-season title goes, that unseating appears likely to happen this year. The Racers are tied for fifth place in the 11-team league and four games out of first place on the loss side.

The fact the Racers -- who are in danger of having an overall losing record for the first time since the 1986-87 season -- are having somewhat of a down campaign by their standards is not really that unexpected.

Murray returned just one player with significant experience off last year's squad that went 24-7 --17-3 in the OVC -- and also lost its coach when Mick Cronin left for Cincinnati. He was replaced by Billy Kennedy.

"They're kind of in a transition period, like we were at the start of the year," said Edgar, in his first season at Southeast. "But they're a dangerous team."

The Racers' only returning starter from last year, 6-foot-5 senior forward Shawn Witherspoon, was voted the OVC's preseason player of the year.

Witherspoon has been hobbled much of the campaign by a foot injury, but he appears to be getting healthier and is averaging 11.5 points in his last three games.

Witherspoon, averaging 9.5 points on the season, is 64 points away from scoring 1,000 career points at Murray.

Bruce Carter, a 6-5 junior guard, leads the Racers offensively with 13.2 points per game, while 6-2 sophomore guard Tyler Holloway is Murray's other double-figure scorer with a 12.3 average.

Holloway scored 24 points and Carter added 20 in the earlier game with Southeast.

That contest was a wild affair that featured 59 fouls, 90 free throws, four technical fouls and three flagrant fouls.

But the Redhawks were able to survive with plenty of help from junior forward Brandon Foust, who had a breakout game with 23 points and nine rebounds.

Foust, who has taken off since then, was hobbled by a sprained ankle during Wednesday's 61-59 win at Morehead State, but Edgar said he expects Foust to be much healthier tonight.

"He's not 100 percent, but he looks pretty good," Edgar said.

Southeast has won five of its last seven games to move into sole possession of seventh place in the OVC, but the Redhawks are just one game out of fourth place and only a half-game out of fifth, which Murray shares.

Noteworthy

• Edgar said the status of reserve center Tyrell White, who did not make the trip to Morehead State because of disciplinary reasons, has not yet been determined.

Asked whether White will be on the bench tonight, Edgar said, "That's still up in the air."

As for whether White will be able to rejoin the team, Edgar said he "has not decided."