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SIKESTON -- The SEMO Conference Tournament will tip off tomorrow evening with three first round games at the Sikeston Field House.
Top-seeded and three time defending tournament champions Sikeston will open the tournament at 5:30 against eighth-seeded Dexter.
Fourth-seeded Notre Dame will take on No. 5 Jackson at 7 p.m. The night will conclude with second seed Charleston taking on No. 7 New Madrid County Central at 8:30.
The last first round game will take place on Tuesday with third-seeded Cape Central playing sixth-seeded Poplar Bluff at 6 p.m.
The semifinal round will be played on Thursday with the championship to be played on Friday at 8:30 p.m.
"It's a great tournament," Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield said. "I think it's going to be really balanced this season. Dexter's a team we're not looking forward to playing again. They're very capable, they're hard working and they do a great job in a lot of areas. The tournament as a whole is very balanced. I think there will be competitive games each night."
Since the rebirth of the conference tournament in 2006, Charleston won the first two championships followed up by Sikeston's current run of three straight.
Sikeston will also be trying to keep it's homecourt winning streak alive, currently now at 49 straight, last losing to Jackson in the 2007 SEMO Conference Tournament.
Asked whether his players feel any pressure of keeping the streaks going, Holifield was quick to answer.
"Absolutely not," he said. "We just play as hard as we can and things will take care of itself. We're just really looking forward to the tournament and we can't wait to get started."