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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – A frantic comeback by the Southeast Missouri women's basketball team fell short in an 87-74 loss to Austin Peay Monday night at the Show Me Center.
 
The Redhawks fell down by 23 points with 12:41 remaining before making a comeback to within six points with 4:37 left in the game but could not get over the final hump. The loss drops Southeast to 7-15 overall and 3-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Austin Peay improves to 9-14 and 6-4 in the OVC.
 
"Austin Peay has been playing really well," Southeast head coach Ty Margenthaler said. "We've got to learn from this game and move on."
 
The Redhawks got off to a slow start, first falling behind 7-2 before tying the game at 9-9 with 14:33 remaining in the half and again falling behind, this time by 13 points at 24-11 with 8:31 remaining.
 
After Coach Margenthaler called a timeout to regroup, Southeast went on a 19-7 run that saw the Redhawks take a one-point lead at 32-31 with 1:21 left in the first half. A 3-point basket from Kara Wright knotted the game at 31-all. She then sank a free throw for the only Redhawks lead in the game.
 
However, the Lady Govs ended the first stanza making the final four points for a 35-32 lead.
 
"Our lack of defensive intensity hurt us," Margenthaler said. "Austin Peay hit their shots and their layups and it is hard to comeback on that."
 
Austin Peay jumped out of the gates to start the second half, going on a 27-7 run to build its 23-point lead. With 12:41 remaining is when the comeback started, led by a 3-pointer from Patricia Mack. Allyson Bradshaw followed with a 3-pointer of her own and Olivia Hackmann had an old-fashioned three-point play for a quick 9-0 run for the Redhawks.
 
Southeast continued to chip away at the lead before eventually pulling to within six points on another Mack three, but Austin Peay was able to hold out for the 87-74 victory.
 
For the second-straight game Mack established a new career-high, this time with 22 points and she added 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. She also moved into third place all-time with 777 rebounds, passing Pam Iversen for the spot.
 
Kenyada Brown also established a new career-high with 11 rebounds.
 
Allyson Bradshaw and Kara Wright rounded out scorers in double-figures with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Tiasha Gray led Austin Peay with 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting as the lady Govs shot 54.2 percent from the field. Southeast was held to just 36.2 percent shooting.
 
The Redhawks outrebounded APSU 43-42, helped by 20 offensive rebounds. Southeast turned those 20 rebounds into 29 second-chance points.
 
Southeast now hits the road for its next two games, beginning with a 4:15 p.m. tip at Eastern Illinois.
 
"This is a big weekend," Margenthaler said. "I am excited to see where this team goes."