THE LATEST LINE: INDIANS SHOW METTLE DURING RUGGED TRIP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Although it is next to impossible to accomplish, coaches on all levels are constantly seeking perfection.

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner is no exception.

As the Indians left Cape Girardeau early Thursday afternoon for a big two-game road trip to open their the Ohio Valley Conference schedule, Garner -- like all coaches would -- was seeking a sweep.

But deep down, Garner knew that just winning one of the two games would be quite an accomplishment, considering that the two foes -- Tennessee State and Austin Peay -- were picked to finish second and third in the 10-team OVC.

Garner correctly pointed out that not many squads in the league -- with the exception of Murray State -- would be able to come away with even one victory during this road swing.

But by the time the Indians left the Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tenn., Thursday night, Garner was having to adjust his goals for the trip. SEMO had just stunned Austin Peay 74-65 and Garner was an extremely happy man, knowing the worst his team could do was a split -- which is what he thought would have been good all along.

Garner, however, knew he couldn't let on to his players that a split would be just fine and dandy, although in reality it would be a solid start to what hopefully will be a strong OVC showing by SEMO this season.

So the coach knew he had to hammer it into his players during Friday night's practice here how important it was not to get too satisfied, how important it was to come home with a 2-0 OVC record.

Before leaving Cape Thursday, Garner the realist knew that he would be satisfied with one victory. But Garner the perfectionist -- the coach -- knew that to truly be pleased, the Indians would need a perfect road trip.

As Garner entered the Gentry Center prior to Saturday's game, he was hoping he'd be heading back to Cape Girardeau later that night an extremely happy man.

* Upsets happen quite frequently in sports, particularly in the topsy-turvy would of college basketball.

But what happened last week in Stillwater, Okla., was still super stunning.

Oklahoma State suffered its first non-conference home loss after 80 such straight victories when Florida Atlantic pulled off an 83-81 shocker.

Florida who?

Florida Atlantic is a sixth-year Division I program that won five games last season and this year was 307th nationally in the power rankings.

I bring this up because SEMO plays at Oklahoma State later this month.

Can lightning strike twice? You never know.

But Garner was quick to point out that the Indians would have had a better chance at pulling off the upset if Florida Atlantic had not awakened the Cowboys.

* Former SEMO star Marquis Walker has been starting at cornerback for the Oakland Raiders ever since Eric Allen went down with an injury a couple of weeks ago.

And this past week there was talk that another ex-SEMO star, Angel Rubio, might be activated from the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad after the devastating injury suffered to defensive lineman Bryant Young.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian