Dec. 27, 2004

Southeast Missouri State at Saint Louis

Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004

Savvis Center, St. Louis, 7:10 p.m.

The Teams: Southeast Missouri State is 3-6 after road losses at Bradley, Wisconsin-Green Bay , Western Kentucky and North Texas and home wins over Rockhurst, South Dakota State and Central Methodist and home losses to Montana and Southern Illinois. Four of the six losses have been by four points or less.

Saint Louis is 2-8, 1-4 at the Savvis Center.

The Coaches: Gary Garner is 354-269 in his 22nd year as a collegiate head coach. He is 107-103 in his eighth year at Southeast. Brad Soderberg is 37-35 in his third year at SLU and has a collegiate career record of 168-108.

The Series: Saint Louis leads the series 7-3. The teams have met only once since 1945 with the Billikens claiming an 88-62 win on Dec. 15, 2001. The last Southeast win in the series was in 1937. SOUTHEAST NOTES

GONNER LEADS OVC IN SCORING: Junior Dainmon Gonner leads the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring with an average of 20.3 points per game. He had a career high 36 points in the season opening loss at Bradley. Gonner was 11-20 from the field, 5-9 from three and 9-13 from the line.

HALE LEADS OVC FROM 3: Senior guard Brett Hale leads the OVC in 3-point field goal percentage with 20-34 for .588. He shoots .528 from the field and .833 from the free throw line.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Several Southeast players are from the St. Louis area. Senior Mike Nelke played at McCluer High School, freshman Paul Paradoski played at Vianney. junior James White, who is currently out with a knee injury, played at Belleville East and Southwestern Illinois Community College. Junior Ryan Belcher played at Florissant Valley Community College. Assistant coach Ronnie Dean is a graduate of Harris-Stowe.

FAMILIAR FACES: Billiken assistant coach Anthony Beane was a member of Gary Garner's staff at Southeast from 1997-2000 and Billiken strength coach Tom Kelso was strength coach at Southeast from 1991-2001.

WINANS MOVES UP TO 5th ON SCORING LIST: Senior Derek Winans has moved up to fifth on the all-time career scoring list at Southeast. He has 1,293 points to rank as the active career scoring leader in the OVC.

Winans did not start practice until Monday, Nov. 29, because of a stress fracture in his leg. He has been gradually working his way back into playing shape. He averages 16.6 minutes per game.

Winans streak of having started 84 consecutive games ended at Bradley. He has been Southeast's top scorer for each of the last three seasons and is the school's first ever basketball Academic All-American.

GOLSON LEADS REBOUNDERS: Senior Reggie Golson leads the team in rebounding with 8.4 per game which is third best in the OVC. He was named the OVC Player of the Week on Dec. 13 after averaging 15 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He had a career high 14 rebounds vs. Montana.

Golson also leads the team in field goal percentage (.571), blocks (12) and steals (15).

INJURIES: James White is out for the season with a knee injury while Ketshner Guerrier is out for another six weeks with a knee injury suffered during shoot around prior to the South Dakota State game.

Mike Nelke is playing with a small fracture in his left wrist.

BUZZER BEATER: Mike Nelke's off balance 3-pointer at the buzzer provided Southeast with a 59-58 win over South Dakota State. Nelke, who was hampered with a bad wrist, was 0-8 from the field prior to his game winning shot.

PARADOSKI NAMED OVC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Paul Paradoski was the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week on Nov. 30 after recording a double-double in his first collegiate start against Rockhurst. Paradoski had 10 points and 11 assists.

The freshman from Vianney High School has started seven of nine games this season and leads the team in assists with 28.

FRANCIS BREAKS OUT: Waylon Francis had his best game of the season at Western Kentucky with a career high 10 points and nine rebounds. He averages 3.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game despite being slowed by a dislocated finger on his left hand.

COPI-RITE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Copi-Rite of Cape Girardeau sponsors a Player of the Game after each home game. The game by game winners include:

Nov. 23 vs. Rockhurst - Reggie Golson

Dec. 4 vs. SDSU - Terrick Willoughby, Mike Nelke

Dec. 9 vs. Montana - Reggie Golson

Dec. 11 vs. Central Methodist - Brett Hale

Dec. 18 vs. Southern Ill. - Dainmon Gonner

HOT HALF: After shooting only 33% from the floor in the first half at Bradley, Southeast shot 64% in the second half. The Indians were 18-28 from the field and 4-7 from three. For the game, Southeast shot 49% from the field, 54% from three and 67% from the line.

CANADA TRIP: Southeast got a jump start on the 2004-2005 season by playing three exhibition games in Canada over the Labor Day weekend. Southeast was 2-1.

SID STREAK: Ron Hines, Southeast Sports Information Director has worked 704 consecutive basketball games. He has not missed a game since 1980.

EARLY SIGNING: Southeast has signed 6-7 Tyrell Curry of State Fair Community College to a national letter of intent. Curry played at Cincinnati State Community College last season where he averaged 11 points and nine rebounds per game. He is originally from Tacoma, Wash.

NEXT: Southeast returns to the Show Me Center on Saturday, Jan. 1, for a 7:30 p.m. game vs. Lincoln.

SOUTHEAST ON RADIO: All Southeast games can be heard on the Southeast Radio Network anchored by K-103 FM in Cape Girardeau. Erik Sean will be in his fourth season as the play-by-play voice of Southeast basketball. Todd Bonacki will add commentary for home games while Ron Hines will do color on the road games. The games can also be heard on the internet at www.k103fm.com.

Gary Garner ON RADIO: Gary Garner has a one-hour radio show each Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The show is broadcast live from Buffalo Wild Wings in Cape Girardeau on ESPN Radio, 1220 AM. Erik Sean is host for the show that also includes call-ins and audience participation.

GARNER ON TELEVISION: Southeast Missouri Basketball with Gary Garner will be televised weekly on UPN-The Beat. Todd Richards host the show that airs at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday.