March 5, 2008

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Senior center Missy Whitney (Charleston, Mo./Three Rivers CC) recorded a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds in leading top-seeded Southeast Missouri State to a 67-45 win over eighth-seeded Jacksonville State Tuesday night at the Show Me Center in a first round contest of the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Tournament. The Redhawks improve to 23-7 with the win, while the Gamecocks finish the year with an 11-19 season record.

The visitors posted an early 8-4 advantage in the first six minutes of the game with six points coming from sophomore guard Kelsey Johnikin. Southeast got back into the game with a pair of free throws from Whitney to pull within 8-7 at the 13:01 mark before a three-pointer by freshman Charlease Williams hiked JSU's leading margin back to four at 11-7 with 12:33 remaining. A 9-1 run by the Redhawks over a four-minute span helped propel them to claim a 16-12 lead that ended with a Whitney layup at the 8:05 mark. A three-pointer by freshman Zenobia Pitts gave the Gamecocks a 19-18 lead with 6:08 left in the half before a Whitney layup ignited a 10-1 run over the final six minutes which handed Southeast a 28-20 advantage heading into halftime.

A layup by junior Cassi Stuart and a pair of free throws by sophomore Jolie Efezokhae sliced JSU's deficit to 28-24 with 18:20 left in the second half. The Redhawks responded by going on a 14-2 scoring drive that lasted six-plus minutes to hike their leading margin to 42-26 at the 11:34 mark with senior guard Ashley Lovelady (Elkhart, Ind./Moberly Area CC) and junior guard Tarina Nixon (Gilbert, Ariz./Highland) each scoring four points during the run. Junior guard Szandra Pál (Budapest, Hungary/Vorosmarty Mihaly) connected on a three-pointer with 3:39 left in the game to give Southeast a 61-39 lead. Jacksonville State would get no closer the rest of the way.

Lovelady added 11 points and a career-high five steals, juniors Sonya Daugherty (St. Louis, Mo./Hancock) and Rachel Blunt (Dexter, Mo./Dexter) recorded nine points apiece, and Pál equaled a career-high with eight points. Junior forward Crysta Glenn (San Diego, Calif./Cowley County CC) produced six rebounds for Southeast.

Jacksonville State was led by Stuart's 14 points, while freshman Cierra Duhart had eight points. Efezokhae and Johnikin each recorded eight boards to pace the Gamecocks.

The Redhawks now advance to the OVC Tournament semifinals Friday afternoon in Nashville where they will face fourth-seeded Eastern Illinois at Municipal Auditorium with a start time of 12 Noon.