Box Score  | PDF Box Score

MACOMB, Ill. – Southeast Missouri State had trouble stopping the Summit League Newcomer of the Year from a year ago as Western Illinois downed the Redhawks 79-58 Saturday evening in Macomb, Ill.
 
Ashley Luke had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Leathernecks (5-5), as the Redhawks were unable to keep her off the free throw line, as she was a perfect 17-for-17 from the charity stripe.
 
"She is a great talent," Southeast head coach Ty Margenthaler said. "She is very physical and has a nose for the ball. She knows how to get free throws."
 
Fouls hampered the Redhawks (3-7) in the first half, committing 16 of them including six charges in the first stanza causing unique rotations.
 
Olivia Hackmann got the scoring started for Southeast, dropping in the first nine points for the Redhawks.
 
The sophomore gave Southeast a 7-6 lead on a 3-point basket with 15:40 remaining the in first half.
 
Luke answered back on the ensuing Western Illinois possession, sinking a layup, giving the Leathernecks a one-point lead they would not relinquish.
 
A 10-0 run from WIU would open up the scoring to 16-7 before a Hackmann jumper briefly stopped the run. Kara Wright would score a jumper in the paint to pull the lead back to five points with 10:40 remaining.
 
A layup from Hillary Lively would bring the Redhawks within four points at 25-21 with 7:03 remaining in the first stanza.
 
However, the Leathernecks would close out the first half on a 15-3 run to enter halftime with a 41-27 lead.
 
Western slowly built a 21-point lead before Southeast was able to cut the deficit to 16 points, which it did twice. The last time was a jumper for Wright to make the score 54-38 with 11:58 remaining in the game.
 
"They are a good basketball team," Margenthaler said. "There is no question about that. They all score, they play well together and have a toughness about them.
 
"They will win a lot of games in the Summit League."
 
Jordan Hunter became the third Redhawk in double-digit scoring when she hit a jumper show with 48 seconds left to make the final score 79-58.
 
Hackmann led Southeast with 14 points while Hunter had 11 and Allyson Bradshaw chipped-in 10 from the bench.
 
After Luke's 29 points, Tori Niemann and Michelle Maher scored 14 points apiece while Marley Hall scored 13 points.
 
The Redhawks season-long trend of outscoring the opponents bench continued with an 18-6 advantage.
 
The Redhawks continue a stretch of six out of seven games on the road with a 7 p.m. contest at St. Louis Tuesday.