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Southeast Missouri State adds JUCO All-American Jarekious Bradley

Dickey Nutt

Southeast Missouri State coach Dickey Nutt during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. Kansas defeated Southeast Missouri State 74-55. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

AP

Dickey Nutt’s Southeast Missouri State Redhawks didn’t have much trouble scoring last season, as they ranked second in the Ohio Valley Conference in both scoring offense (74.1 ppg) and field goal percentage (46.9%). Forwards Tyler Stone (15.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and Nino Johnson (11.1, 8.8) were two of the leaders for the Redhawks, and they’ll be expected to lead the way this season with guards Marland Smith and Corey Wilford out of eligibility.

On Thursday the school announced a late signee in 6-5 forward/guard Jarekious Bradley, who averaged 21.1 points per game at East Mississippi CC last season. Bradley, who is a cousin of Stone’s, also averaged eight rebounds per game and earned NJCAA Division I All-America honors.

“Jarekious is a good shooter who can really score the basketball and we have watched him since high school,” coach Nutt said in the release. “He’s strong and physical, and can play a lot of different positions. We feel like he has a chance to be an impact player.”

SEMO finished the 2012-13 season with a 17-16 record, going 8-8 in OVC play. The issue for the Redhawks: forcing turnovers. The Redhawks finished the season with a turnover margin of -2.27, a figure that ranked 11th in the conference. The reason for the negative margin: SEMO managed to force just 10.5 turnovers per game.

While Nutt’s team did allow 71.5 points per game, that was a matter of pace more than anything. SEMO ranked in the top five in the OVC in both field goal (1st) and three-point (4th) percentage defense. If the Redhawks can improve their ability to force turnovers, they’ll be an even better group defensively.

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