Otahkians lose two players over break

The holidays have not been all that kind to Southeast Missouri State University women's coach Ed Arnzen.

Two of Arnzen's players -- including their third-leading scorer -- have decided not to return to school for the second semester, leaving the Otahkians with a 10-player roster.

Arnzen said that sophomore guard Christine Rathke, third in scoring at 8.8 points per game after also having a solid freshman season last year, indicated to him after the first semester ended a couple of weeks ago that she was homesick. So after Rathke completed her final exams she returned home to the Milwaukee, Wis., area.

"She just said she was homesick and couldn't get used to a smaller city," Arnzen said. "She doesn't really know what she's going to do as far as basketball. She will not go to school this semester and she might look into playing some place closer to home down the line.

"Christine was a key player for us. She was our third leading scorer and probably the best playmaker we have. She's really a true point guard and it hurts our depth considerably in that area."

Also leaving the program was junior forward Ta Keela Ball, who had been seeing limited action off the bench and was averaging 2.6 points per game. The junior-college transfer was in her first season with the Otahkians.

"She just said she was basically tired of basketball," said Arnzen. "She's a Mississippi girl and she's going to go to school at Southern Mississippi, but she won't play basketball there."

With Rathke and Ball departing, Arnzen said more playing time will now be available for junior guard Kristy Roherty and freshman forward Andrea Koeper from Jackson High School. Both have seen limited action off the bench so far.

"Those will be two very key players coming off the bench now," said Arnzen, who added, "You do the best with what you've got. We still have 10 players I think can play. We just have to get some others to come off the bench and step up."

The 6-3 Otahkians, who have not played since Dec. 8, will return to action Wednesday night when Missouri Baptist visits the Show Me Center.