INDIANS TRY TO COOK UP SWEEP; SOUTHEAST COMPLETES TENNESSEE TRIP, VISITS TECH'S EAGLES

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians, coming off Saturday's thrilling win over Middle Tennessee State, will look for a clean sweep of their weekend road trip to Tennessee.

In order to pull off that impressive feat, however, the Indians will have to get by what Southeast coach Ron Shumate considers perhaps the most physically talented team in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Indians and Tennessee Tech's Golden Eagles will square off in a 7:45 contest tonight at the Eblen Center.

"I think Tennessee Tech is probably as talented or more talented than any team in the league," said Shumate, himself a Tech graduate and also a member of that school's athletic hall of fame. "They just have great players and they play well at home."

While Tech does possess some of the OVC's top talent, the Eagles are prone to some sub-par performances. Witness Saturday's surprising 77-66 home loss to Eastern Illinois.

The Eagles, despite getting 17 points and 14 rebounds from 7-foot-1 center Lorenzo Coleman and 16 points from Curtis Wiggins, fell to 7-7 overall and 3-3 in OVC play.

Meanwhile, Southeast won its fifth straight game Saturday by stunning Middle Tennessee 78-76 on Richard Lyte's dunk of a teammate's missed shot with just six-tenths of a second remaining.

Southeast improved to 8-9 overall and remained tied for first place in the OVC at 5-1. Eastern Illinois is also 5-1 while Middle Tennessee fell out of a share for first at 4-2.

Also 4-2 in the OVC is defending champion Murray State, which slipped past Eastern Kentucky 60-59 Saturday. Austin Peay, which won last year's OVC Tournament, fell to 4-3 after being upset by Tennessee State 82-70 Saturday.

"That's the way it looks like the league is going to be this year," said Shumate, referring to the OVC's scrambled picture. "I think so many of the games are going to be like ours was (Saturday) -- down to the wire."

The Indians will be trying to win tonight in a place where they have had problems since joining the OVC six years ago. Southeast is 1-4 in Cookeville, including last season's 102-69 thumping at the hands of the Eagles.

"We've never really played well here," Shumate said. "But winning Saturday should give us a lot more confidence going into the game."

The contest will feature the OVC's top two centers in Coleman and Southeast's 6-10 Bud Eley. Coleman averages 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots per game while Eley gets 16 points and 11 rebounds a game.

Coleman, a senior, has made a major impression on the Indians in his career, including two years ago, when he shattered a backboard on a dunk during the game in Cookeville.

"He's a major force inside," said Shumate. "He blocks so many shots and changes a lot of others."

Wiggins, a 6-4 senior forward, also averages 15 points per game while 6-4 senior forward Chris Turner adds 12 points a contest. Turner, Albert Wilson and Jason Embry are the Eagles' top 3-point threats.

"Winning the first game (of the road trip) was huge," Shumate said. "If we could get both of them, it would be tremendous. But it's going to take a great performance by us to beat Tennessee Tech."

Otahkians eye another upset

Fresh of a huge victory of their own -- Saturday's 74-73 overtime triumph at Middle Tennessee -- Southeast's women will try to spring another upset when they take on Tennessee Tech at 5:45 p.m. today.

The Otahkians are 4-10 overall and 2-4 in the OVC while Tech is 7-7 overall and 3-3 in league play after Saturday's 68-66 loss to Eastern Illinois.

"Tennessee Tech has a very good team and it's going to be difficult for us to beat them at their place," said Otahkian coach Ed Arnzen. "But beating Middle Tennessee was a tremendous win for us and you never know what might happen."

SEMO vs. Tennessee Tech

7:45 p.m., Cookeville, Tenn.

Probable Starters

SEMO (8-9, 5-1 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

David Montgomery F So. 6-8 9.0

Richard Lyte F Jr. 6-6 5.8

Bud Eley C Jr. 6-10 16.1

Calvert White G Jr. 6-4 13.4

Allen Hatchett G So. 5-10 8.9

TT (7-7, 3-3 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Curtis Wiggins F Sr. 6-4 15.1

Chris Turner F Sr. 6-4 12.0

Lorenzo Coleman C Sr. 7-2 14.8

Ryan Black G Sr. 6-3 5.8

Marc Glanton G Jr. 5-11 3.6

Series: 5-5

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