Redhawks need to improve rebounding against Bethel

Southeast Missouri State center Mason Hanback puts up a shot against Southern Indiana last week at the Show Me Center.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

The Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball team will have a chance at home on Saturday, Jan. 6, against NAIA opponent Bethel to work on addressing what has clearly been a clear weakness so far during the conference slate of the schedule.

“Defense, toughness and rebounding,” SEMO head coach Brad Korn said. “If we don't have those things, it's gonna be hard for us.”

The Redhawks were out-rebounded 50-33 overall, including 23-14 offensively, during their 68-61loss at Western Illinois on Thursday, Jan. 4. That came four days after getting 35-20 during a 83-64 home loss against Morehead State this past Sunday. SEMO did win the rebound battle 39-36 during its overtime win over Southern Indiana last week, so there is something to be said about the sample size.

Josh Early and Kobe Clark have been SEMO’s lead rebounders, as well as Dylan Branson. Earley led the Redhawks with 18 points against Western Illinois on Thursday.

However, Clark has been injured and Branson is slowly getting back to midseason form after returning from his injury. With two other centers on the roster listed as 7-feet-tall, rebounding should be an advantage for SEMO, but they don’t get nearly enough minutes off the bench yet to make a real impact.

One of whom is David Idada, who previously played for a professional team based in Dan Helder, Netherlands, his home country. He’s been averaging 3.3 rebounds per game in 9.4 minutes.

The other is Mason Hanback, a walk-on from Jackson, Tennessee. As a sophomore, Hanback has seen his minutes increase, averaging 11 minutes per game. His numbers seem nearly nonexistent for now, but Korn sees the potential in Hanback.

“He's very, very physical,” Korn said. “He's athletic around the rim, make some good moves around the basket.”

The Redhawks will have a chance to fix their issues against Bethel. SEMO is 3-0 against NAIA opponents and have won 36 straight games against non-Division 1 teams, as they should. The wins against a lesser class of competition is meant to mask that SEMO’s only non-conference victory over a DI foe was a 70-68 win against Central Arkansas on Nov. 20, after Aquan Smart’s heroics.

Assuming the Redhawks win on Saturday, Korn will have 50 coaching wins since arriving to SEMO in 2020. Korn is 49-61 overall (28-30 OVC) and led the Redhawks to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship last year.