Dismissed: SEMO basketball gets no love from OVC

Southeast Missouri State's Eric Reed plays defense against Murray State earlier this season at the Show Me Center.

Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com

There has been a recurring theme of disrespect surrounding the Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball program from the start of the 2020-21 season and it continues to this day, as the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament gets underway in Evansville, Ind.

“All I know is that we were picked dead last in this league (in the preseason),” first-year Redhawk coach Brad Korn said recently. “Not one person picked us any higher than dead last.”

No. 7-seed SEMO (11-15, 9-11) will face No. 2-seed Morehead State (20-7, 17-3) today at 9:30 p.m. in the opening round of the tournament.

The OVC released its postseason awards on Tuesday and just like the preseason poll, no one thought much of SEMO.

Of the 12 teams in the conference, 10 had athletes recognized in some way or fashion with the exception being the Redhawks and No. 8-seed SIUE.

Included in that dismissing was Redhawk junior guard Eric Reed Jr., who has emerged as one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, yet wasn’t named on the All-Newcomer Team.

“He has been phenomenal for us, really, the last three to four games,” Korn said of Reed Jr. “He’s been phenomenal.”

Red-hot SEMO learning how to make 'winning plays'

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There are several ways a basketball team can make a "winning play."
Sometimes it is obvious, like draining a shot at the buzzer. However, there are great deals of times that plays are made in critical moments and they aren't recorded in a box score.
Communicating on a switch properly late in a game is a "winning play."

Reed Jr. has scored at least 21 points in three of the last six games and 16 in another.

In a recent road win at Eastern Illinois, Reed Jr. sank 7 of 9 3-pointers and finished with 27 points.

He has connected at a 45.3 percent rate for the season, which ranks fifth in the league and his 2.2 3-pointers made each game ranks fourth.

“I feel so comfortable with him,” Korn said.

In late January, Reed Jr. slipped into a three-game slump, but his effort at both ends never slowed, according to Korn.

“He was still defending,” Korn said. “In my opinion, he is one of the best two-way players in this league.”

The junior college transfer is a huge reason why the Redhawks enter the tournament as hot as any team in the conference after winning four of their past five games.

“He takes on defensive challenges,” Korn said. “He guards the best player and he scores points for us.

“He now has himself back to the point where he shoots it, if he misses, everyone is wondering what happened.”

The success of Reed Jr., who is averaging 11.2 points per game, isn’t by happenstance according to his coach.

“This kid,” Korn gushed, “if we called a practice for 3 a.m., he’d be the first one there. He wouldn’t ask why. He wouldn’t need anything. He’d be the first one there and the last one to leave.

“He has a great attitude and works his butt off.”

Another omission from that newcomer squad was redshirt junior Nana Akenten, who has become one of the most productive rebounders in the OVC.

The Nebraska transfer ranks eighth in the conference in rebounding (5.8 per game) and seventh in seventh in 3-pointers made (two per game).

“Nana has really tried to take on a leadership role,” Korn said. “Obviously, he plays and does all of the stuff that he does as a player, but he has really taken on the leadership role, which is something that we have needed.”

This has been an evolving group, as eight of the 13 players have either never played in a game for SEMO or not played an entire season due to injury.

Yet, the group grew into a team that few will want to face this week.

As Korn noted, they weren’t expected to be able to beat anyone, yet his team finished just one win out of fifth place.

“Our players are sick of it,” Korn said of the perception that has hung over the program. “They want it to change. They have been receptive to change, as far as what the narrative was about the program.

“They don’t want to be remembered as the SEMO team that didn’t win. They have taken on an identity and an attitude (for success).”

Short-handed

Two players who have contributed to the success of the program this season at varying times will more than likely not be available throughout the tournament.

Graduate center Nolan Taylor has been battling a lingering leg issue and redshirt freshman guard Jordan Love will also be out for the remainder of the season due to an injury.

“It is a testament of a true team,” Korn said. “To have a real team and a real program, when certain guys go down, others step up.”