Southeast Missouri State women's basketball falls to OVC regular-season champions Belmont, but heads into OVC Tournament rematch with confidence

Southeast Missouri State's Tesia Thompson (24) puts up a shot next to Belmont's Maddie Wright (55) and Jenny Roy (24) during the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks 92-86 loss to the Belmont University Bruins on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Jacob Wiegand ~ jwiegand@semissourian.com

Trailing by 17 points with 3 minutes, 34 seconds remaining in the third period, and with a berth in next week's Ohio Valley Conference tournament securely in its hip pocket, it would have been easy for the Southeast women's basketball team to fold its tent and wait for Wednesday's tournament opener.

Not a chance.

Instead, the Redhawks mounted a furious rally that had OVC champion Belmont on the ropes, pulling within two points with just over a minute left before the Bruins eventually held on for a 92-86 victory Saturday in front of a Senior Day crowd of 735 fans at the Show Me Center.

Southeast Missouri State head coach Rekha Patterson looks toward a referee during the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks 92-86 loss to the Belmont University Bruins on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Jacob Wiegand ~ jwiegand@semissourian.com

The loss dropped Southeast to 8-10 in the OVC and 13-16 overall. Still, the Redhawks head into this week's conference tournament with a shot of confidence after throwing a scare into the tournament's top-seeded squad.

"This week has been a phenomenal week of basketball for us," said Southeast assistant coach Chante' Crutchfield, who took over on the Redhawks' bench after head coach Rekha Patterson received her second technical foul with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter. "We weren't victorious today, but if you look at how we came out against (Tennessee State) on Thursday and the way we fought back (Saturday), we played some pretty good basketball this week.

"We're gonna see Belmont again on Wednesday. Giving them the shot we gave them today and having another opportunity to have another shot, fresh, that's gonna be huge for us. And I feel our girls will respond in a way that we want them to and expect them to."

The Bruins (23-6, 16-2 OVC) may have their hands full if Southeast brings the same effort they did late in Saturday's contest. The Redhawks closed the first period with a 12-5 run to pull within 21-20 after one period. Belmont took a 47-34 late in the first half before 3-pointers by Tesia Thompson and Carrie Shephard pulled Southeast within 47-40 at the half.

Belmont opened the third quarter with a 13-6 run that boosted its lead to 17 points at 63-46 and had Southeast reeling. That's when the Redhawks found a gear not seen since Thursday's trouncing of Tennessee State.

Two free throws from Dolapo Balogun brought Southeast within 69-59, and Thompson's 3 at the buzzer made it 71-64 heading into the final period.

Southeast Missouri State senior Adrianna Murphy (3) is recognized during a senior day ceremony next to her mother Nicole Murphy before the start of the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks 92-86 loss to the Belmont University Bruins on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Jacob Wiegand ~ jwiegand@semissourian.com

Southeast continued chipping away as Adrianna Murphy's 3 pulled the Redhawks within 73-69 with 8:52 left. Belmont again pushed the lead to nine, but the Redhawks sliced the deficit to four, 84-80, on Balogun's layup with 3:55 left. And when Thompson converted on a 3-point play with 1:14 left, Southeast trailed just 88-86.

"I'm trying to get out of here before someone makes another (3-pointer)," said Belmont coach Bart Brooks after the game. "(Southeast) really performed at a high level and really pushed us. I felt every time we turned around someone was hitting a three."

Then came the play of the game. Belmont tried working the ball inside to junior forward Ellie Harmeyer (20 points). Balogun poked away the pass but was whistled for a foul, sending Harmeyer to the line. Her two free throws boosted the lead back to four and Southeast got no closer.

"The girls' mission was to fight for their coach," Crutchfield said. "And they fought for her. And that's what you saw."

Tesia Thompson led Southeast with 31 points, one shy of her season-high. The sophomore forward scored the first eight points for Southeast, which held its only lead at 8-7 early in the first period. Thompson was 11-of-18 from the floor, including a perfect 4-of-4 from behind the 3-point line, and hit 5-of-6 free throws.

"I really wanted it," Thompson said of her quick start. "And I really wanted it for our seniors."

"I think she sometimes surprises herself in how she can be a leader," said assistant coach Morgan Eye. "She doesn't necessarily do it vocally, but we're starting to see a little bit more of that passion come through in her game. And I just think the more experience she keeps getting, you'regoing to see her continue to develop.

Nights like tonight we expect every single day. ... Riding that into the tournament is very good for us when your best player is playing at that high level."

Shephard added 22 points, including six 3-pointers, and drew praise from Brooks after the game.

"Shephard had an unbelievable game," Brooks said. "The only way we could guard her is to try to not let her catch it."

Meanwhile, Belmont's Darby Maggard was matching Shephard 3-pointer for 3-pointer. Maggard scored 26 points, including five 3-pointers. Fellow senior Jenny Roy added 15 points and a key sideline steal late that helped preserve the Bruins' lead.

Brooks cited the poise of those two seniors as keys down the stretch.

"It comes from our seniors," Brooks said. "It comes from the (Maggard and Roy) who have been through these kinds of games. Having those two in the backcourt, it steadies the rest of the team."

The fans at Saturday's game bid farewell to a pair of seniors -- Murphy and Losmie Lutaya -- who played their final game at the Show Me Center.

"Playing on that court one last time, it means everything," Murphy said. "The biggest thing coming into this game was we were hungry. At the end of the game, you could tell that we were a hungry team that's going into (the conference tournament).

"But to step on that floor again with my teammates, it put everything in perspective for me. The four years that I've been here, it's been hard. But no part of this journey have I not embraced with each and every one of these players, with the coaches. It just kind of all hit me at once.

But I wanted to leave these fans that support me, this program, and these players day in and day out, I just want to leave them with my passion to show them that I'm thankful for my teammates, the program and these fans and their support."

BELMONT (92) -- Darby Maggard 26, Ellie Harmeyer 20, Jenny Roy 15, Maura Muensterman 10, Maddie Wright 6, Macie Culbertson 7, Jamilyn Kinney 6, Conley Chinn 2. FG 27, FT 29-36, F 16 (3-pointers: Maggard 5, Muensterman 2, Kinney 2. Fouled out: None)

SOUTHEAST (86) -- Teisa Thompson 31, Carrie Shephard 22, Adrianna Murphy 11, Losmie Lutaya 8, Dolapo Balogun 6, Jocelyn Taylor 2, Taelour Pruitt 6. FG 31, FT 13-14, F 24 (3-pointers: Thompson 4, Shephard 6, Murphy. Fouled out: None)