SATURDAY'S SCORES
SIUE 76, @Southeast Missouri 61
@Eastern Illinois 69, Southern Indiana 58
Little Rock 64, @Tennessee State 57
@UT Martin 63, Morehead State 48
Tennessee Tech 72, @Lindenwood 35
SIUE 76, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 61
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Jaliyah Green scored a career-high 18 points and led a big third quarter charge, but it wasn't enough as Southeast Missouri (5-8, 0-2) fell to SIU Edwardsville (2-11, 1-1), 76-61, Saturday afternoon at the Show Me Center.
Green scored 17 of her points in the third quarter where SEMO outscored SIUE, 27-9, and shot 64.7 percent with 11 makes on 17 field goal attempts.
She buried all three of her 3-pointers and missed just once (7-of-8) from the floor. Green's jumper at the buzzer got SEMO within seven at 55-48 at the end of three quarters.
SEMO, which trailed by as many as 25 points, simply couldn't catch the Cougars despite its big third quarter surge.
SIUE heated up to shoot a scorching 66.7 percent from the field in the first half.
SEMO, meanwhile, started slow missing its first six shots and turning the ball over five times in the opening 3:29. SIUE capitalized on the misfortune with a 9-0 run and scored 12 of the first 14 points to build a 12-2 lead with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter. Kiyley Flowers' fastbreak layup was the Redhawks only basket in that stretch.
SIUE later used a 7-0 surge to increase its lead to 24-9 before closing out the first quarter ahead, 26-14.
The Cougars continued their hot shooting making eight of their 10 field goals at an 80 percent clip in the second period. SEMO did not score for the final 4:43 of the quarter as SIUE headed into the intermission with a big 46-21 lead.
SEMO shot just 23.7 percent (7-of-30) and had 15 turnovers in the first half. Those miscues led to 18 points for SIUE.
Doyle's fastbreak jumper again got the Redhawks within seven (57-50) early in the fourth quarter before SIUE answered with six-straight points to grab a 63-50 advantage at the 7:25 mark.
SEMO continued to battle and managed to make it an eight-point game when Kennedi Watkins scored to trim SIUE's lead to 64-56 with just under five minutes left. That, however, was as close as the Redhawks would get the rest of the way.
Green shot 7-of-12 from the field, 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 1-of-2 at the free throw line to lead SEMO. Doyle and Watkins followed with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Watkins added nine rebounds, as well.
SEMO finished the day shooting 35.4 percent (23-of-65) from the field and turned the ball over 21 times. The Redhawks had just six turnovers in the second half though.
Ajulu Thatha led Cougars with 20 points and 14 rebounds while Sofie Lowis scored 18 points and KK Rodriguez had 11 points.
Additionally, the Redhawks pulled down a season-high 16 offensive rebounds.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 69, SOUTHERN INDIANA 58
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball was tested again, but earned another double-digit home win over an Ohio Valley Conference newcomer to ring in the new year, defeating the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles 69-58. With the win, the Panthers improve to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in OVC play. This marks the first time EIU has started 2-0 in OVC play since the 2014-15 season.
Miah Monahan hit the first field goal of the game to set the tone offensively for the Panthers. After USI hit a three-pointer in response, EIU seized the momentum with a 12-2 run to take a 14-5 lead. With EIU up 16-7 in the waning seconds of the quarter, USI hit a buzzer-beater layup to cut it to 16-9 going into the second period. Lyric Johnson got the scoring started in the second quarter for EIU, scoring a fast break layup off of a pass from Monahan to make it 18-9. After two USI free throws cut it back down to seven, EIU took over the momentum once more, using a 9-0 run highlighted by five straight from Monahan to take a 27-11 lead. After a 6-2 Screaming Eagle run cut it to 29-17, EIU again took the momentum right back as a 9-2 run highlighted by seven from Lariah Washington made it 38-19 at the half.
The Panthers smothered the Screaming Eagles defensively in the second quarter, as USI did not hit their first shot of the quarter until there was 3:55 remaining and went just 2-of-10 from the field for the period.
USI came out firing in the second half, using a 12-2 run to make it a single-digit game early in the third quarter. With EIU needing an offensive spark, Monahan answered the bell once again, drilling a three-pointer to up the lead back to 12. After the Screaming Eagles cut it back to eight, Monahan went right back to work, going 1-for-2 from the free throw line, converting an and-one opportunity, finding an open Jackie Maulucci who drilled a straight-away three, and then finding Washington for an open jumper to up the lead back to 17 at 53-36. The Panthers would ultimately lead by that margin at the end of the third quarter, 58-41. Johnson scored the first two buckets of the final period to make it 62-41 and effectively put the game on ice for EIU. USI would end on a 17-7 run to make the final margin 11.
Washington scored a team-high 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting and had two steals. Monahan had a career day, scoring a career-high 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and dishing out five assists. This marks the seventh game this season where she has dished out at least five assists.
Johnson scored seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Macy McGlone contributed with six points and five rebounds while Taris Thornton had five points and four rebounds off the bench.
As a team, EIU double up USI in points off turnovers, 26-13. EIU forced USI into 25 turnovers, the most that they have forced in a game all season.
LITTLE ROCK 64, TENNESSEE STATE 57
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Angelique Francis scored a season-high 14 points and nearly claimed a double-double as she grabbed nine rebounds as Little Rock held off Tennessee State in a 64-57 win at the Gentry Center in Nashville Saturday afternoon.
The win, moving Little Rock (5-8) to 2-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play, marks the Trojans’ first 2-0 start in league competition since the 2018-19 season.
Sali Kourouma led the Trojans with 15 points while Nikki Metcalfe scored 12 points and Faith Lee added 10 more.
Tied 27-27 at halftime, Little Rock had a scoring outburst in the third quarter with 20 points in the period, eight of which came from Francis. Metcalfe and Kourouma added four each in the frame.
Tennessee State (5-8, 0-2 OVC) got as close as three with a 56-53 deficit with 4:28 to play but could not get any closer as the Trojans responded with a quick 4-0 run and extended their lead out to nine at 64-57 before TSU added one last layup before time expired.
The Lady Tigers were led by Erica Haynes-Overton’s 22 points, 13 of which came from the free throw line. TSU received the benefit of 26 free throw attempts courtesy of 21 fouls called in Little Rock while the Trojans only made 16 free throw attempts.
Little Rock held a commanding 33-21 advantage in rebounds and forced 20 turnovers from the Lady Tigers.
The Trojans shot a season-high 52% from the floor and converted 75% of their free throw attempts. Tennessee State shot 40% from the field.
Little Rock returns home to host Lindenwood on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
UT MARTIN 63, MOREHEAD STATE 48
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team closed out the calendar year by picking up its first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season after knocking off visiting Morehead State by a final score of 63-48.
The Skyhawks (5-8, 1-1 OVC) saw four players score in double figures for the fourth time this season. UT Martin was led offensively by freshman Josie Storey who scored a career-high 15 points while also tallying four steals and three assists in the win. Both Preseason All-OVC guards Seygan Robins and Shae Littleford scored 13 points each while combining for seven assists and seven steals. Freshman forward Sharnecce Currie-Jelks also joined the trio in double figures with 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
The Eagles had two players score in double figures, led by Melissa Secchiaroli, who had 12 points and four assists. Sophie Benharouga tacked on 11 points and two steals off the bench and Isabel Gonzalez added eight points and two blocks.
TENNESSEE TECH 72, LINDENWOOD 35
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Milestone Weekend continued for the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team on Saturday. Following the program's 1,000th victory on Thursday, Golden Eagle head coach Kim Rosamond reached her own personal milestone as the Tech players cruised over Ohio Valley Conference newcomer Lindenwood 72-35.
The victory, which improved the Golden Eagles to 8-4 on the season, 2-0 in the fresh OVC slate, gave Rosamond her 100th victory, making her the third Tech women's basketball coach to reach 100 wins.
Tech had four players in double-digit scoring as Reagan Hurst led the way with 12 points, but also had six rebounds, three assists, five steals and a block in the contest. Anna Walker also scored 11 points, while Jada Guinn also tallied 11 with six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Maaliya Owens also had 10 points in the game.
Lindenwood (1-12, 0-2 OVC) had one double-digit scorer as Mary McGrath scored 11 on 5-for-10 shooting, pulling down eight rebounds, stealing three balls and blocking another.
The game became lopsided early as the Golden Eagles scored the first 10 points of the game before Sophia Horton scored the Lions' first points of the game, but Tech's defense continued to cage Lindenwood. The Golden Eagles forced 11 turnovers in the first quarter, converting those to 17 of 28 first-quarter points.
Before the first 10 minutes were done, Walker and Hurst already had six points each. The Golden Eagles shot 70.6 from the field, knocking down 12 of 17 shots. Tech also dominated the glass 9-2 – a number that also escalated before the day was through.
The Golden Eagles outscored Lindenwood 20-8 in the second quarter and went to the locker room with a 48-15 advantage. The Lions were able to chip a few points off here and there in the third quarter, but Tech limited Lindenwood's damage to a two-point gain, trailing the Lions 12-10 in the period. Tech then closed out the fourth quarter extending the lead back out to its largest margin of 37 points for the second time as the game came to an end.
Rebounds and turnovers were the Golden Eagles' friends in the contest. Tech controlled the glass, winning the battle 42 to 23, including 18 offensive boards. Those led to 14 second-chance points. Lindenwood had eight offensive caroms, converting to eight points.
Tech also forced 27 Lindenwood turnovers, led by Hurst's five steals. The Golden Eagles converted those into 28 points.
The Golden Eagles also had a nearly perfect day at the free-throw line, hitting 14 of their 15 shots.
Tech finished the day shooting 45 percent, hitting 27 of its 60 shots. Lindenwood was held to 13 buckets on 42 tries, a 31-percent effort on the day.