INDIANS SET FOR CRUCIAL FINISHING RUN; SEMO TAKES ON TENNESSEE TECH AT SHOW ME CENTER TONIGHT

It's not all that common for a college basketball team to lose three crucial games in a row late in the season -- yet still be very much in the hunt for a high conference finish.

But that's the situation Southeast Missouri State University's Indians find themselves in as they prepare for their final two regular-season home games and their final four regular-season contests overall.

The beginning of the key season-ending stretch will take place tonight when Tennessee Tech visits the Show Me Center for a 7:45 Ohio Valley Conference tipoff.

Then Monday night, Middle Tennessee State comes to Cape Girardeau for another 7:45 OVC contest.

After that, it will be on to Tennessee-Martin next Thursday and Eastern Illinois the following Saturday.

"We've got four games left and they're all extremely important," said Southeast coach Ron Shumate. "Things are still pretty much up for grabs (in the OVC race)."

Since the Indians will be playing three of their final four games against teams currently ahead of them in the OVC standings, they still pretty much control their own destiny as far as trying to finish among the top four squads in the 10-team league.

The top eight teams out of nine (Tennessee-Martin is ineligible) in the final standings qualify for the OVC Tournament and Southeast is a virtual lock to make the field in its first season of tourney eligibility.

But the top four teams get to play first-round tourney games at home and that's what the Indians are striving for.

Southeast (10-15 overall, 7-7 OVC) is in sixth place in the league standings, but certainly well within reach of most of the squads currently above it in the scrambled conference standings.

Austin Peay leads the league at 10-5, followed by three teams who are tied for second at 9-6: Middle Tennessee, Murray State and Tennessee Tech. Eastern Illinois is fifth at 8-6, followed by Southeast. And Tennessee State is still very much in the hunt for a top-four finish at a seventh-place 7-8.

"It's still wide open," Shumate said. "I'm sure the race is going to go down to the last night of the season."

Tennessee Tech, tonight's opponent, is coming off a huge 89-62 home win over Murray State on Thursday night. That pushed the Eagles' overall record to 13-10.

The Eagles, who beat the Indians 86-82 in Cookeville, Tenn., on Jan. 20, are led by their 7-foot-1 center, Lorenzo Coleman, who is one of the nation's top shot-blockers and rebounders. Coleman averages 16.3 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

Also scoring in double figures for the Eagles are 6-4 senior forwards Curtis Wiggins (14.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and Chris Turner (12.3 ppg).

"Tennessee Tech has a very talented basketball team, one of the most talented in the league, and they're coming off a really big win over Murray," said Shumate. "We played them really tough at their place but just couldn't hold on to the lead.

"They'll be extremely tough to beat, even on our home court. But we've got to take advantage of these next two home games before we go out on the road again."

Southeast continues to be plagued by injuries at point guard.

Allen Hatchett, who has been bothered by tendinitis in his knees and played only one minute combined during two road games last Saturday and Monday, could see some action tonight.

Lakeo Keller, who has struggled all season with a chipped bone in his foot, likely won't see action tonight.

SEMO vs. Tennessee Tech

7:45 p.m., Show Me Center

Probable Starters

SEMO (10-15, 7-7 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Richard Lyte F Jr. 6-6 7.4

Reggie Crisp F Sr. 6-5 3.8

Bud Eley C Jr. 6-10 17.5

John Economos G So. 6-3 1.4

Calvert White G Jr. 6-4 13.5

TT (13-10, 9-6 OVC)

Player Pos. Yr. Ht. Avg.

Chris Turner F Sr. 6-4 12.3

Curtis Wiggins F Sr. 6-4 14.6

Lorenzo Coleman C Sr. 7-1 16.3

Ryan Black G Sr. 6-3 5.8

Marc Glanton G Jr. 5-11 4.0

Series: 6-5 TT

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