Southeast women roundballers find a way to victory at EKU

Senior Jocelyn Taylor came off the bench to help spark Southeast to a 60-44 win over EKU Saturday.

Courtesy: Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast won its seventh straight Saturday and completed a perfect two-state road trip by defeating Eastern Kentucky, 60-44.

It sure wasn’t as easy as the score indicated.

A slow start

The Redhawks had made a habit of getting out fast and building up a big first quarter lead in recent contests but against the Colonels, Southeast was uncharacteristically cold from the field.

Southeast shot a dismal 3-for-16 in the opening quarter and fell behind EKU, 12-6, failing to score in the initial 3:30 of the contest.

“We put ourselves in a very difficult spot with our scoring drought,” said Redhawks coach Rekha Patterson.

Shephard's three-pointers

Southeast temporarily got its first lead at 8:28 in the second quarter as Carrie Shephard, the top three-point shooter in the Ohio Valley Conference, hit a trey to put the Redhawks up 13-12.

Shephard hit another three-pointer at 4:18 left in the half and the Redhawks never trailed again.

Winning with the roster

“We didn’t come out on fire,” admitted Patterson, “but we found a way to win with different people stepping up for us.”

Credit Southeast’s bench for cementing the win at McBrayer Arena in Richmond, Kentucky.

Jocelyn Taylor and Roshala Scott contributed 12 and nine points respectively for the winners.

“JT and Roshala gave us a really good spark,” Patterson admitted, “and we needed it.”

Credit the D

Southeast’s defense also stepped up on a day in which the Redhawks shot just 35 percent from the field.

The Redhawks scored 20 points off 16 turnovers.

“Our defense was pretty good today,” said the fifth-year coach, who is now over .500 skippering Southeast with a 71-70 overall mark.

“We talked at halftime about being more aggressive,” added Patterson, “and we were.”

Tesia struggles yet shines

Tesia Thompson, who was just 2-for-15 from the field, still managed a double-double thanks to her performance at the free throw line.

The junior from Memphis, Tn., scored 13, going 9-of-10 from the charity stripe and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Shephard also finished with 13 for Southeast (16-5, 8-2 OVC).

Eastern Kentucky’s I’liyah Green led all scorers and rebounders with 17 and 14 respectively.

Southeast is now 4-2 against EKU (8-13, 2-8, OVC) during Patterson's tenure, having won the last four consecutive games against the Colonels.

Southeast, with Saturday’s win, completed a road sweep by going 4-0 away from the Show Me Center.

What's next

The Redhawks come home Thursday to face Jacksonville State (10-11, 6-4, OVC) which stunned OVC co-leader Belmont, 60-41.

Scoring

Southeast 6 20 14 20 – 60

Eastern Kentucky 12 9 8 15 – 44

SOUTHEAST (60) Carrie Shephard 13, Tesia Thompson 13, Jocelyn Taylor 12, Roshala Scott 9, Denisha Gardener 6, Taelour Pruitt 5, Kennedi Allen 2. FGs 23, FT 11-16, F 14. (3-pointers: Shephard 2, Pruitt. Fouled out: none.)

EASTERN KENTUCKY (44) I’liyah Green 17, Teri Goodlett 6, Samari Mowbray 5, De’ayra Davis 5, Qay Stanton 3, Maleaha Bell 3, Catie Kaifes 3, Bria Bass 2. FGs 17, FT 5-9, F 15. (3-pointers: Goodlett 2, Mowbray, Davis, Kaifes. Fouled out: Goodlett.)