Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Jan. 30,2004)- The Southeast Missouri State (8-10, 3-4 OVC) women's basketball team looks to finish a disappointing road trip with a win. Samford (8-9, 1-5 OVC) will play host to Southeast Missouri State on Saturday in Seibert Hall in an Ohio Valley Conference game. Saturday's game will mark the third time the three have met as Southeast leads the series 2-0. The first meeting came on Dec. 8, 2001, a 90-41 SEMO win in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Last season, the teams played on Dec. 7, in Birmingham, with the Otahkians coming out on top, 89-48.

Scouting Southeast...Southeast has had a tough road trip, losing three consecutive games. The Otahkians are coming off a loss to Jacksonville State (12-5, 6-1 OVC) on Thursday night, 95-83.

The Otahkians are led by senior guard Kenja White, averaging 11.0 points per game. Junior guard Sami Jo Cotton is following closely behind with 10.3 points per game and leading the squad in three-pointers with 37. She ranks fourth in the OVC in three-point percentage (.363) and fifth in three-point field goals per game (2.06). Senior guard Yashika Sidbury's three three's against Jacksonville State give her 79 career three-pointers, moving her just three away from fourth in Southeast career totals. Senior guard Sarah Costello leads the team in steals (1.76) and assists (4.35) per game, while ranking third and second in the OVC accordingly.

As a squad, the Otahkians love to pick off passes as the lead the league in steals with 9.65 per game.

Scouting Samford...Samford also slid to a three-game losing streak last night as they fell to Eastern Illinois 70-51. EIU broke away and closed the first half by scoring seven of the final nine points to take a 32-20 advantage into halftime. The Bulldogs cut the lead to ten to open the half, but wouldn't get any closer. In OVC competition last week, the Bulldogs fell to Morehead State, 67-54, on Thursday and were defeated by Eastern Kentucky, 92-82, on Saturday.

Samford is led by freshman forward Alex Munday. Munday is averaging 14.2 points per game to lead the team in scoring and rank sixth in the league, and is also second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.6 boards per contest. The team leader in rebounding is sophomore guard Chelsee Insell. Insell averages 5.9 boards per game. Insell also leads the league in three-point field goal percentage shooting .500. She is second in three-point field goals made, draining 2.71 per game. Sophomore guard Cora Beth Smith leads the team in assists with 56, ranking her sixth in the OVC.

As a squad, the Bulldogs love to play defense, leading the OVC in scoring defense as they have only allowed their competition 59.4 points per game.

Up next...The squad returns home for their first match-up with Tennessee-Martin next Thursday, Feb. 5 at 5:00 p.m.