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Cape Girardeau, Mo. (November 25, 2002) - The Southeast Missouri State Otahkian basketball team will travel to Springfield, Mo. Tuesday to take on the Lady Bears of Southwest Missouri in a non-conference rivalry. Tip off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Hammons Center.

Southeast was victorious in coach B.J. Smith's Division I debut this past Friday as they defeated the Lady Reddies of Henderson State University by 30 points, 85-55.

Southeast took a lead midway through the first half, and never relinquished it, as they had a 16 point lead at the half.

The Otahkians were led by senior guard LaShelle Porter who had 13 points and eight rebounds on 6-10 shooting from the field. She was also 1-1 from behind the three-point arc. Junior forward Carina Souza had 11 points and two rebounds on the night. Juniors Yashika Sidbury and Sarah Costello, as well as senior forward Lori Chase each had 10 points. Sidbury and Case had six rebounds each, and Costello had four steals on the night.

Henderson State was led by former Otahkian TaKeela Ball who had 20 points on 10-22 shooting from the field. she had four rebounds and two steals.

Southeast shot 55 percent from the field and 64 percent from behind the arc. The field goal percentage has gradually increased throughout the season, as they have moved from 37 percent the first game to 47 percent the second game and now 55 percent.

The Lady Bears went 16-13 last season after making it to the Final Four a year prior. They were 12-6 in the Missouri Valley conference and made an apperance in the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

So far SMS is 0-2 on the early season after losses in the Pre Season Women's NIT to Tulsa and Missouri. The loss to Tulsa was a one point heartbreaker.

Southwest has a new coach in town this season as Katie Abrahamson-Henderson takes over the rains from Cheryl Burnett who left after last season and a career 319-136 record. Abrahamson is a 1990 graduate of the University of Iowa. She has coached at Michigan State, Iowa State, Maine and Duquesne, all as an assistant, and this is her first stint in a head coaching role.

The Lady Bears are being led in the early season by freshman gurard Sarah Klaassen who is averaging 16 points and 32.5 minutes per game. Meg Tierney is averaging 12.5 points per contest and five rebounds per game. Stephanie Busbey is averaging 12 points and 14 rebounds per game.

SMS, as a team, is averaging 66 points per game while giving up 74.5 per contest. They are averaging 38.5 rebounds per contest, and have turned the ball over almost twice as much as their opponents.

After this game, the Otahkians will travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin to compete in the Wisconsin-Green Bay Tournament. The Host UWGB, along with Miami of Florida and Quinnipiac will all be competing in the tournament.

Game time for Friday for the Otahkians will be 6 p.m. as they take on UWGB. They will play at 5 p.m. on Saturday.