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Southeast Missouri Basketball: Redhawks 2021-22 season preview and outlook

By Harry Schroeder

Southeast Missouri State Head Coach Brad Korn watches his team take on the University of Evansville Purple Aces at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. The Purple Aces defeated the Redhawks 66-63 in overtime.Ue Bball Vs Semo 32
Southeast Missouri State Head Coach Brad Korn watches his team take on the University of Evansville Purple Aces at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. The Purple Aces defeated the Redhawks 66-63 in overtime.Ue Bball Vs Semo 32 /
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Morehead State’s Ta’lon Cooper Southeast Missouri’s Eric Reed Jr.  Ovc Mball Semo Vs Morehead 18
Morehead State’s Ta’lon Cooper Southeast Missouri’s Eric Reed Jr.  Ovc Mball Semo Vs Morehead 18 /

Second-year coach Brad Korn has a team that could make some noise in the Ohio Valley Conference. All five starters return from last season’s seventh-place team. With a full summer of practice, weight-lifting and additional talent added, the Southeast Missouri basketball could be a factor in the OVC.

SEMO had unique bookends to last season. The Redhawks started the year winning just two of their first eight games. Three of those losses were in overtime and the other three were all single-digit defeats.

Korn’s youngsters then finished the year winning four of their final five regular-season games to finish with nine conference victories and a season record of 11-16. After losing their first three overtime games, they won their final two.

Southeast Missouri basketball was recently picked fourth in the new-look Ohio Valley Conference. Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State finished third and fourth in last year’s race and have bolted for the ASUN Conference. Three teams, Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, and Tennessee Martin have brand new coaches.

Suddenly the Redhawks are something of an established team. Korn’s squad is deep in the backcourt and their post play will be accomplished by a committee of players. Redshirt junior guard Chris Harris was named to the preseason all-OVC squad and starting center Nolan Taylor is still recovering from last year’s late-season knee injury.

Taylor and his late-season replacement Manny Patterson are the only seniors on SEMO’s roster. Taylor’s health and the continuing maturing process of this guard-heavy team will keys to success for this year’s team.