INDIAN SHARP-SHOOTERS AIMING FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE VICTORY

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- It's the mental -- not the physical -- that has Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner concerned the most about tonight's game.

The Indians, riding a three-game winning streak and in sole possession of fourth place in the Ohio Valley Conference, figure to have plenty of advantages against struggling Tennessee Tech.

But Garner is extremely leery about the 7 p.m. contest at the Eblen Center.

"The mental approach will be the toughest thing of all to get across to the players," said Garner prior to putting the Indians through a Wednesday night practice at the Eblen Center.

Garner realizes it would only be human nature for the high-flying Indians (11-10, 7-6 OVC) to take the downtrodden Eagles (6-17, 2-10) a bit lightly.

"We just won at Austin Peay by 24 points (81-57 Monday night), we've won three games in a row and we're really playing well," he said. "Now we've got a team that's down near the bottom of the league. We've got to get the point across that we need the same type of effort we had at Austin Peay.

"But one thing I've really liked about our guys this year is they've really done a great job of taking one game at a time. That's what we've tried to do. Right now, this is the most important game of the season for us. And after this game, then the next one will be the most important."

Garner figures that, even though Tennessee Tech has struggled much of the season, the Eagles will still be a handful because they do have some talent and they are fighting to get into the OVC Tournament.

The OVC tourney will feature eight of the league's 10 teams. Since Tennessee-Martin is ineligible to compete in the tournament, Tech has to only finish ahead of Morehead State (2-11). Right now, the Eagles are in ninth place and one-half game ahead of last-place Morehead.

"They're battling to make the tournament, so they've still got a lot to play for," Garner said. "And they've got some pretty good players. It's not like they don't have any talent.

"In college basketball these days, almost every team is going to play really well at home. It's tough to win on the road no matter who you're playing."

The Indians beat the Eagles 69-51 on Jan. 8 at the Show Me Center. Despite the 18-point win, it was probably one of Southeast's worst performances of the season.

"That was just an ugly game," said Garner. "Even though we won, we didn't play well at all."

Alex Franco, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, leads the Eagles in scoring and rebounding with 12.7 points and 9.2 boards a contest. Franco, who had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the earlier meeting with Southeast, has been coming off the bench in recent games.

The only other double-figure scorer for the Eagles is 6-6 junior forward Wesley Whitehorn, who averages 10.6 points a contest.

Ricky Cabrera, a 6-4 senior guard, has been Tech's offensive leader in OVC play at 12.7 points per game.

Southeast is riding the wave of a three-game hot streak that has seen the Indians shoot 56 percent from the field, 51 percent from 3-point range and average more than 90 points.

"People have asked me how long we can keep this up," said a laughing Garner. "I keep telling them just one more game."

If the Indians do play well again tonight and come away with a victory, then that would put them in excellent shape heading into Saturday's game at OVC power Middle Tennessee State.

"When we started this week (of three straight road games), we thought if we could win two out of the three, then it would be a great week," Garner said. "Now, if we could already have two going into Middle Tennessee, then we could just toss it up and see what happens."

INDIAN NOTES: Demetrius Watson, a 6-4 junior forward who has missed the last three games after breaking a bone near his right toe, had a good report after being x-rayed early Wednesday but he did not make the trip to Tennessee.

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Watson's fracture has healed sufficiently, but since his foot has been in a boot for almost 10 days, it was decided that Watson, in order not to take any chances, would be better off practicing for a few days before playing.

Watson should be able to join practice Monday after the Indians return from their road trip. He then should be ready to play next Thursday when Southeast hosts Tennessee-Martin...

The Indians arrived here Wednesday to quite a bit of snow that forced numerous cancellations, but there should be no problem in getting tonight's game played.

SEMO at Tennessee Tech

7 p.m., Cookeville, Tenn.

Probable Starters

SEMO (11-10, 7-6 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Calvert White F Sr. 6-4 9.4

Nathan Owen F Fr. 6-2 4.5

David Montgomery C Jr. 6-8 10.6

Cory Johnson G Jr. 6-0 15.1

Kahn Cotton G Jr. 5-10 12.7

TT (6-17, 2-10 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.