Southeast women look for road win in St. Louis

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball will play its seventh road game of the season tonight.

The Redhawks (3-7) have won just one of the previous six road games as they enter the 7 p.m. game against Saint Louis University at Chaifetz Arena.

"We've talked to our team about that, and again our other road games have been very difficult against great opponents, but at least we have had the one win on the road, so we know how to win on the road," said Southeast coach Ty Margenthaler, whose team has lost its last five games away from the Show Me Center. "We definitely have confidence going into the ballgame. We had the opportunity to beat Saint Louis last year, so that gives us confidence going into this game. We had a really good two days of practice and are looking forward to [this] evening."

Southeast's lone road win was a 12-point victory against Alabama A&M in its season opener.

SLU (3-6) has just one loss at home this season -- a 74-59 setback to Missouri in the Billikens' season opener Nov. 8. The Redhawks lost 62-57 to Missouri on Nov. 21. Southeast led by nine points at halftime and trailed by three points with less than 30 seconds in the game before falling to the Tigers.

Southeast beat the Billikens 59-52 at the Show Me Center last season. Jordan Hunter, a senior guard, led Southeast with 14 points in that game.

Both teams lost Saturday. Southeast fell 79-58 to Western Illinois -- a team that beat the Billikens 87-85 on Nov. 30 -- while SLU dropped a 74-65 decision to Northern Iowa.

"What we've done is just gone back and watched ourselves against Western [Illinois] ... the shots we are getting and the good execution, and also the bad, and learning that way quite honestly," Margenthaler said. "By seeing on video and watching tape and talking about it with our group, I think that helps. Hopefully [tonight] we'll make a few more shots and execute a little bit better and it'll go our way."

Sophomore guards Kara Wright and Olivia Hackmann lead the Redhawks in scoring with 11.7 and 11.3 points per game, respectively.

The Billikens (3-6) have three players averaging double-figures. Freshman Erin Nelson, a 5-10 forward, leads SLU with 15.2 points per game, followed by redshirt junior guard Desirae Ball with 13.6 and redshirt sophomore guard Jamesia Price with 10.3.

"She's a very good player," Margenthaler said about Nelson. "She can score in a different variety of ways -- driving and shooting, and then she also is a big guard, so she'll get herself on the block and post up. She's someone that we definitely have to key on. She's had a really good start to her freshman year."

Margenthaler said his team needs to consistently get stops on defense against Saint Louis, which averages 68.6 points per game.

Southeast averages 62 points per game, and Margenthaler believes that the Redhawks transition offense will be important for them to win. He also noted post play will be important. Redhawks 6-foot senior forward Patricia Mack is averaging 8.3 points and 9 rebounds per game for the Redhawks.

"The one thing we've talked a little more about the last two days -- we need to get more post touches," Margenthaler said. "We need to try to get the ball inside, and if we don't score, start the ball inside and go inside out. It's something we've been really focused on the last two days in practice on the offensive end."