SEMO women fall in OVC first round action

Southeast's Roshala Scott (2) scored 22 points in a losing effort as SEMO bows out in first-round action of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, losing to Murray State, 67-64, at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, Thursday, March 4, 2021.

courtesy Ohio Valley Conference

There will be no Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship repeat for Southeast Missouri State women’s basketball in 2021.

No. 3 seed SEMO (15-11, 13-8) fell to no. 6 Murray State, 67-64, in first round OVC action Thursday in Evansville, Indiana, marking the first postseason victory for the Racers (16-10, 13-8) since the 2015-16 season.

Southeast lost despite a masterful outing by Roshala Scott, who led SEMO with 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Four other Redhawks joined Scott in double figures – Deanay Watson and LaTrese Saine had 11 while Terri Smith and Sophie Bussard added 10 each.

The Redhawks played entirely without the services of two of the stars of last year’s title team.

OVC scoring leader Tesia Thompson and point guard Taelour Pruitt, out with knee injuries, watched from the bench as the Redhawks got off to a fast 19-8 first quarter start but couldn’t sustain the momentum.

SEMO took a 30-26 lead into halftime but the Racers outscored Southeast after intermission, 41-34.

“We’ve been prepping for a week without (Thompson and Pruitt),” said sixth year Southeast coach Rekha Patterson, adding that they were simply “physically unable” to take the court.

Murray State coach Rechelle Turner pointed to a pivotal moment early in third quarter when SEMO’s Saine, a senior and the OVC’s Defensive Player of the Year, picked up three fouls in the course of a single minute and was forced to the bench.

“When (Saine) was in the lane, it made things very difficult for us and when she had to sit, our players did a very good job of taking advantage,” Turner opined.

Saine, Southeast’s career blocks leader, picked up nine rejections in her final game as a Redhawk while playing only 27 minutes and missing much of the second half.

Turner’s squad also came into the Ford Center banged up as the Racers put only six players on the hardwood.

“Four of our kids played the whole way,” said Murray State’s fourth-year coach.

“It’s not ideal but it’s survive and advance,” Turner added, noting the Racers draw no. 2 seed Belmont Friday in an OVC semifinal.

Murray State’s Macey Turley led all scorers with 25 and went 10-for-11 from the free throw line.

Both teams shot an identical 36% from the field but the Racers had a 22-11 advantage from the charity stripe.

Turner exchanged warm words with Patterson postgame.

“I told (Patterson) what she has done with her program is inspirational and I really respect her,” said Turner, whose Racers have now won five straight and nine of their last 11 contests.

Patterson was full of praise for her vanquished squad.

“They kept fighting (and) I’m proud of their heart and toughness,” she said, noting her short-handed Redhawks got all eight eligible players out on the court.

“I hate that (Thompson’s) career had to end with her not playing,” Patterson said.

Thompson, who said “God willing” she plans to play professionally, finishes her four years at Southeast as the third-highest scorer in program history with 1,927 points and fourth-best and fifth-best all-time in rebounds and steals, respectively.

Scoring

Murray State 8 18 22 19 – 67

Southeast 19 11 11 23 – 64

Fouled out: Mayes (Murray State)