Redhawks men flat vs. Panthers on national TV

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- First-year Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt wanted to show a national television audience how much his team has improved.

The Redhawks didn't hold up their end of the bargain.

Southeast's only scheduled national TV appearance this season turned out to be a virtual horror show for the Redhawks, who were blistered 88-68 by host Eastern Illinois.

Saturday's loss, in a game broadcast by ESPNU, dropped Southeast to 5-10 overall and 2-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play. EIU is 10-5 and 4-1.

"We wanted to show the world we're a better team than last year," said junior forward Cameron Butler, who along with most of the Redhawks was not part of Southeast's winless 2008-09 OVC season. "People might think we're not, but we know we are."

Southeast junior forward Cameron Butler dunks against Eastern Illinois during Saturday's game at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Ill. (JAY GRABIEC ~ Journal Gazette/Times-Courier)

Nutt was more displeased with Southeast's performance and effort than the fact it came on national TV.

"I'm very, very disappointed," Nutt said. "It would be one thing if I hadn't seen a better effort all year, if I hadn't seen a better performance all year.

"I'm disappointed with our effort, our sense of urgency, our lack of energy, all that combined. We were poor on defense. We were pitiful."

Added Nutt: "I've been a head coach 14 years [including 13 at Arkansas State]. I've had a lot of TV games, some good, some bad. One thing about it, we'll have 200 calls [from potential recruits] saying I can play for you."

The Redhawks, who have started slowly in several of their losses, reversed that trend during Monday's home win over Jacksonville State.

Southeast hoped to get out of the gate quickly again Saturday but that never materialized.

"I figured the momentum we had from last game should have carried over," Butler said. "It didn't happen."

The Panthers scored the first four points and never looked back. They opened their first double-figure lead midway through the opening half at 22-10 and Southeast got no closer the rest of the way.

It was 49-29 at halftime and EIU's advantage never dipped below 18 points in the final period. The Panthers' biggest lead was 72-43.

"It just comes back to getting out of the blocks," Butler said. "We can't dig ourselves a hole."

EIU shot a solid 49.2 percent, 53.1 percent in the decisive first half. The Panthers hit 8 of 16 (50 percent) from 3-point range in the game.

"They came out rolling. They hit big shots early. They were hitting on all cylinders," Southeast junior guard Anthony Allison said. "We didn't defend like we should have."

On the other end, Southeast shot 40.3 percent and hit 6 of 24 from beyond the arc (25 percent).

"I give them credit, they're experienced," Nutt said. "They hit their shots and their zone bothered us."

Butler scored 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting. He had 15 points by halftime. No other Southeast player scored more than three points in the opening period.

But Butler was not without his faults. His jam in traffic with five minutes left in the first half cut the deficit to 34-21.

Butler then directed a bit too much exuberance toward the opposition and received a technical for taunting.

The Panthers hit both free throws to start a 7-0 run that made it 41-21.

"We had momentum, but I showed my emotions in a bad way," Butler said. "He [Nutt] chewed me out. It was my fault."

Said Nutt: "That's baloney. I let him know about it. You don't ever do something like that."

Freshman guard Marland Smith added 15 points, 12 in the second half. Allison had 12 points, 10 in the final period. Senior forward LaMont Russell grabbed 13 rebounds.

EIU junior guard Tyler Laser scored a game-high 20 points. Laser, the Panthers' leading scorer with a 14.1 average entering the day, hit 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.

"I thought our guys responded well to it," EIU coach Mike Miller said of playing on national TV. "Sometimes you try to come out differently and not play the way you practice. We came out and played a good tempo and kept it going."

The same can't be said for Southeast, which is something Nutt didn't see coming.

"I thought our practices were good," he said. "I thought we were ready."

Southeast plays the second of three consecutive OVC road games Thursday at Morehead State.