Eric Reed scores career high in SEMO loss at Austin Peay

Southeast Missouri State's Eric Reed shoots a 3-pointer against Tennessee Tech in a recent game at the Show Me Center.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

Eric Reed scored a career-high 21 points but it wasn’t enough as Southeast Missouri State falls on the road for the second straight night, this time at Austin Peay, 78-63, on Saturday.

The junior made 9-of-16 field goals including 3-of-6 from the 3-point line. He also grabbed five rebounds.

Chris Harris, SEMO’s leading scorer at 12 points per game, scored nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. It was the fifth game in which the junior did not score 10 points or more.

Nygal Russell led the Redhawks with seven rebounds as SEMO out-rebounded Austin Peay 34-32.

Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Terry Taylor scored 32 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. The senior shot 12-of-18 from the field and made 6-of-9 free throws. Tai'Reon Joseph followed with 14 points and Carlos Paez chipped in 10.

The Governors shot 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the field for the game. The Redhawks made 25-of-56 from the floor, including one less 3-pointer. The biggest difference between the two teams is on the free throw line, where the Governors made 10 more shots from the charity stripe.

Behind Taylor’s 23 first-half points, Austin Peay (13-8, 9-6) shot 51.5 percent from the field to build a 42-27 halftime lead. That lead was built on a 10-0 run completed with 4:10 left.

“They got after us in the first half defensively,” SEMO head coach Brad Korn said. “They really pressured us, took us out of any of our sets, any of our actions. We had to go to a bunch of ball screens. I told my guys they did a good job of making those adjustments..”

The Redhawks committed 21 turnovers, 13 of which came in the first half.

“Anytime you turn the ball over that much on the road you shoot yourself in the foot,” Korn said.

The Governors’ lead peaked at 22 points (64-42) with 10:18 left in the second half. The Redhawks kept it close in the second half by matching Austin Peay’s point total at 36-36

The Redhawks were without key reserves Nate Johnson and Jordan Love, who was an asset from the free throw line. Korn didn’t expect to get much from Nolan Taylor after the senior scored 10 points on 15 minutes last night coming off weeks of a knee injury.

The meant more playing time in the interior for Darrious Agnew, who scored a career-high nine points on 3-of-7 shooting with two free throws and five rebounds in 17 minutes.

“He was active,” Korn said. “He does a pretty good job at moving his feet. I thought Nolan going off back-to-back we were going to get much out of him because of the knee injury. He just played really well so we went with him. He was able to handle it and produce.”

The Redhawks face Austin Peay again in three days when they host the Governors on Feb. 16.

The Redhawks are still in eighth place of the OVC after UT Martin lost to Murray State.

SEMO and Austin Peay will meet again on Tuesday at the Show Me Center.

“I would expect the same type of deal,” Korn said, “better prepared for it the second time around.”

Tip-off is at 6 p.m.