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Cape Girardeau, Mo. (March 5, 2003) - The Southeast Missouri State Otahkian Basketball team will look to be the first Otahk team to ever make it to the tournament finals as they take on the Golden Eaglettes of Tennessee Tech this Friday at 2 p.m. in the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville.

Southeast is coming off of a first-round victory over Eastern Illinois. Southeast was down by six at the half, and by 13 with 13 minutes left in the game but chipped away at the lead for five minuets, before using an 8-0 run to tie the score at 66. They then would take a quick lead before Eastern tied it up again at 72. Southeast eventually had as high as a five point lead and held out for a three point victory. They made seven free throws in the last 45 seconds of the game.

The Otahks are being led by White's 13.6 points per game. She is third on the team in three-point percentage with a 28 percent average. Senior forward Lori Chase is second in scoring and first in rebounds with 13.3 and 6.0 per game marks. She is second in three-point percentage with her 33 percent mark. Junior forward Carina Souza is fourth in scoring with a 12.0 per game average, as she, White, and Chase are the only Otahks to start every single game this season.

Junior forward Yashika Sidbury is fourth in scoring with 10.7 points per game and continues to lead the team in free-throw shooting averaging 84 percent from the line and is first in three-point shooting with a 37 percent mark.

Tech leads the series 21-6 and had won the last seven meetings in a row until Southeast won both meetings this year including the first time in Cookeville in seven years. Tech is 7-3 in the last ten meetings between the two teams. Last season, Tech took both meetings between the teams.

Tynisha Alexander nailed a huge three-pointer in the closing seconds of Tech's first round game at EKU to give the Golden Eaglettes the 67-65 victory and a trip to Nashville.

The Golden Eaglettes are being led this season by Emily Christian. The freshman forward is averaging 17.7 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Arleigh Brackin, Jennifer Simpson and Tynisha Alexander are averaging 8.3, 8.1 and 8.0 points respectively.

Tech averages 66.8 points per game while giving up 67.3. They are shooting 43 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the arc, while making 75 percent of their free-throws. They led the OVC in home attendance.

With a win, Southeast will play the winner of the Austin Peay/Tennessee-Martin game in the Finals of the OVC Tournament.