Feb. 15, 2008

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - In a game that featured 44 combined turnovers and 38 called fouls, a scrappy defensive effort by Southeast Missouri State proved to be the difference as it forced 27 Eastern Illinois turnovers Thursday night in a 46-41 Ohio Valley Conference victory at the Show Me Center. With the win, the Redhawks improved to 18-6 (13-2) and the Panthers fell to 14-11 (13-4) on the year.

The Redhawks took a 3-0 lead in the first minute on a three-pointer by junior forward Rachel Blunt (Dexter, Mo./Dexter), but EIU scored seven of the next 11 points over the next four minutes to even the score at 7-7 at the 15:30 mark. Southeast reclaimed an 8-7 advantage on a free throw by senior center Missy Whitney (Charleston, Mo./Three Rivers CC) with 13:23 remaining in the game and later increased its lead to 10-7 at 9:40 thanks to a jumper from junior forward Crysta Glenn (San Diego, Calif./Cowley County CC). The Panthers got five straight points from junior Rachel Galligan in a 1:26 span to take a 12-10 lead with 8:02 left in the stanza. A Whitney layup at the five-minute mark later opened an 8-3 scoring drive that changed a 14-12 EIU advantage to a 20-17 Redhawk lead entering intermission.

Southeast scored seven of the first 12 points of the second half to go ahead by a 27-22 leading margin at the 10:15 mark. Baskets by Glenn and junior guard Sonya Daugherty (St. Louis, Mo./Hancock) later gave the Redhawks their biggest lead of the game at 31-22 with 8:42 remaining. EIU then went on an 8-2 scoring drive over a two-plus minute stretch to slice its deficit to 33-30 at 6:11 on a layup by sophomore Ashley Thomas. Whitney drained a pair of free throws at the 5:44 mark to increase the home team's advantage back to 35-30 before sophomore Jessica Huffman connected on a three to bring the Panthers to within two points at 35-33 with 5:20 left in the game. A layup from Daugherty and three free throws by senior guard Ashley Lovelady (Elkhart, Ind./Moberly Area CC) brought Southeast's lead back to seven at 40-33 at the 3:37 mark. The Redhawks closed the game by splitting the final 12 points with EIU to claim the win.

Daugherty led Southeast with 11 points off the bench, while Whitney posted nine points and five rebounds. Lovelady finished with nine points and Blunt contributed eight points. Junior guard Tarina Nixon (Gilbert, Ariz./Highland) produced a game-high three assists and freshman guard Lauren Sharpe (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) notched a game-high three steals for the Redhawks.

Galligan paced EIU with a game-high 16 points and six boards, while Huffman and sophomore Maggie Kloak contributed seven points. Sophomore Dominique Sims added five points for the Panthers.

The Redhawks conclude the road portion of their schedule Saturday afternoon with an OVC game at UT Martin with the tip-off set for 4 p.m.