We have just completed a successful four-game homestand and it feels good to be 16-3 overall and 9-1 and in first place in the OVC.

I thought our fans played a key role in the four wins at the Show Me Center. For the four games, we averaged over 5,400 fans and everyone really seemed to be in the games.

The student turnout on Greek Night was outstanding and really showed what a great student crowd can do for the atmosphere at the Show Me Center.

Our players really feed off the crowd at home. Thank you for your help in our four wins.

Now it is time to go on the road for two key games, at Tennessee State Thursday night and at Austin Peay Saturday night. As we go on the road, it is important to just take one game at a time and to be completely focused on that game.

Going on the road is another good time for the team to get even closer. We have a great family atmosphere on this team and long road trips should really help us pull together even more.

We will be together for four days on the bus, in the restaurants and the hotels. And when we take the floor, we will be in enemy territory and the other team will be feeding off their crowd. I always tell our players, though, that when the other team's crowd really gets into the game, it should make it more exciting for us, too.

Playing good defense is also a key in winning on the road. Some nights you don't shoot the ball well, but you can always play good defense and our team has done that this season. Our players take great pride in our defense and that will be an asset this week.

Tennessee State does not have a good record, but they have outstanding players who are capable of beating any team in the OVC on a given night. They have added two new players since they played here earlier this year and they beat Austin Peay last week.

I think that the bottom two teams in the OVC, Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky, are good examples of how our league is better from top to bottom this season.

Eastern Kentucky has good athletes who really gave us a game last Saturday. Afterward, coach (Scott) Perry and Eastern Kentucky media all said it was by far their best game of the season, which points out what I said last week. Everybody remaining on our schedule will give us their best shot because we are on top.

I really don't think the OVC gets the respect nationally that the league deserves. Indiana State is leading the Missouri Valley Conference, but lost to Austin Peay by 22 points. Bradley is tied for second in the MVC and we beat the Braves in Peoria.

The two games this week are very big for us. It isn't that far to Nashville and Clarksville, so I hope some of you can make the trip and help us win on the road.

There is nothing better during the regular season than a conference road win. Hopefully we can get two this week and then come back to the Show Me Center for games Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday next week.

Beginning Thursday, we have five OVC games in 10 days. It should be exciting!

Gary Garner is the head men's basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State University