Ishee returns home as visitor

John Ishee is proof that you can go home again.

At least for a couple of days.

Ishee, Southeast Missouri State's third-year women's basketball coach, will be in familiar territory today when the Redhawks play Southern Mississippi.

Both teams are 4-4 entering the 4 p.m. tipoff in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Ishee grew up in Gulfport, Miss., which is about 45 minutes from Hattiesburg. His parents and numerous relatives still live in the area.

Ishee graduated from Southern Mississippi, then spent 1989 through 1991 as a graduate assistant with the Golden Eagles' men's basketball program and 1991 through 1994 as an assistant with their women's program.

"I'm looking forward to going back," said Ishee before the Redhawks left by bus Friday for Hattiesburg. "It'll be good to see my mom and dad. They're in their 70s and can't travel much any more.

"I've got sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews in the area. I coached at Southern Miss five years, so I'll see high school coaches I know, people I worked with. It should be a lot of fun."

But Ishee emphasized that he's thinking more about finding a way to beat the Golden Eagles than having a family reunion.

"That's our main focus on this trip, to try and win the game," Ishee said. "They're very athletic, very strong. They have all the parts."

The Golden Eagles should pose quite a challenge for Southeast, which snapped a four-game losing streak Wednesday by beating NAIA Bethel (Tenn.) College.

Southern Miss, the preseason Conference USA favorite, went 21-14 last year. The Golden Eagles won two games in the WNIT to reach that event's Sweet 16.

The Golden Eagles, who have yet to play a conference game, returned their starting five from last season. They welcomed back 91 percent of their scoring and 89 percent of their rebounding.

"They're really a talented team," Ishee said.

Southern Miss is led by 6-0 junior forward Pauline Love, who averaged 16.2 points and 10.3 rebounds last year to make all-conference.

Love is again averaging a double-double with 12.5 points and 10 rebounds.

Also scoring in double figures for the Golden Eagles is 6-4 junior center Stephanie Helgeson (11.5 ppg).

Helgeson also averages 6.9 rebounds for the Golden Eagles, who are outrebounding their opponents by an average of seven per game.

"It will be a big challenge to keep them off the boards," Ishee said

The squads have played two common opponents.

Southern Mississippi lost at highly regarded Arkansas-Little Rock 66-44, while Southeast beat the Trojans at home 57-45.

The Golden Eagles routed Tennessee State at home 79-57, while the Redhawks lost to the Tigers at home 59-55.

"I'm sure they'll be aware that we beat Little Rock and they lost to Little Rock by 22," Ishee said.

Following today's game, the Redhawks will have three more contests before resuming OVC play Jan. 3.

That includes a game against Providence of the Big East Conference during a tournament in New Orleans and a matchup at Missouri of the Big 12 Conference.

"We've got some really tough games coming up, and we've already played some very good teams," Ishee said. "We might not have a top-10 type of team on our schedule like we've had in the past, but I think this is the toughest overall schedule Southeast has ever played."