SEMO’s Brad Korn – Going to the NCAA Tournament

Redhawks Arrive Ahead of Schedule

(St. Louis, MO) – When SEMO’s Brad Korn was introduced as the team’s head coach he declared that Southeast Missouri’s basketball team would become a successful basketball program contending for Ohio Valley Conference titles and play in the NCAA Tournament.

Saturday night the Redhawks won their first OVC Tournament in 23 years and qualified for this season’s ‘Big Dance’. Tennessee Tech took SEMO into overtime in a thrilling championship game won by a final score of 89-82.

Senior guard Chris Harris was named the tournament MVP after scoring 26 points in the final game and 15 in the semifinal win over regular season champion Morehead State. Harris scored eleven points in the tournament opener against Lindenwood and 29 during the quarterfinal win over Tennessee State.

The 6’3 guard was unhappy being left off the OVC’s all-conference team, but received encouragement from assistant coach Keith Pickens. ‘Pick urged Harris to win the tournament MVP award.

Korn says his veteran guards, Harris, Phillip Russell and Israel Barnes came up big in Evansville.

 

 

SEMO’s Brad Korn – Saturday Night Experience

To qualifiy for the NCAA Tournament, the Redhawks needed to win four games in four days. After winning their first three games they faced a Tennessee Tech team that had played just one.

Perhaps the fatigue caught up with the Redhawk players. With 1:11 left in the game they led by seven points (72-65) and seemingly were about to win the title. The last 71 seconds were wild. Tennessee Teck scored eight straight points and took a one point lead with ten seconds left in the title game.

This one was just getting started.

Harris was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three of the free throws. With two seconds left it seemed SEMO had won the title by a score of 75-73. But wait! Tech’s Diante Wood hit what appeared to be three-pointer. Fans celebrated, Redhawks wept and the dream had died.

But wait! It was a two-pointer and not a triple and the teams were headed to overtime.

Sophomore Dylan Branson stepped into the huddle and brought important leadership to a team that thought they had suffered a crippling defeat.

 

 

Korn, who has been to ten NCAA Tournaments as a player and assistant coach says, this experience didn’t immediately feel real and he had to awakened to the idea that they had won the game, the tournament and they were going dancing.

 

 

Brad Korn – Going to the NCAA Tournament

While SEMO entered the tournament with a losing record (15-16) they also had accumulated most wins in Korn’s three years. Ten of those victories were during OVC play, representing the most by a Korn-coached team. In winning their first two games of the league tournament, guaranteed SEMO a .500 record and their deepest run in the tournament in years.

Those numbers would have all meant ‘success and progress’ for the program, but the Redhawks weren’t done and accomplished so much more. The team battled injuries and inconsistency and Korn admits, this tournament title and invitation to the ‘Big Dance’ came a little ahead of schedule.

 

 

Korn says there is nothing like participating in the NCAA Tournament. The third-year head coach calls it a life-changing experience. He is glad that everyone associated with the program has the opportunity to enjoy ‘The Big Dance’.

 

 

Many bracketologists have predicted a ‘First Four’ Dayton destination for the Redhawks. In this writer’s humble opinion, no automatic qualifier should be forced into that round, but since the NCAA wants larger programs with larger fan bases and media markets to boost ratings, this is the way it will be.

SEMO may be ahead of schedule, but believe in the Redhawk program and coach Korn. SEMO’s Brad Korn has his program aimed in the right direction and is building on a firm foundation.

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