CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Southeast Missouri women's basketball extended their winning streak to three games Friday evening at the Show Me Center with a 78-65 victory over Missouri-Kansas City (0-3).
The win improves the Redhawks' record to 3-1 on the season. Through four games, Southeast Missouri is off to their best start since 2008-09. Southeast started the 2008-09 season with three wins before falling in the fourth game.
The Redhawks featured two players in double-digit points. Friday's game is the first this season where the Redhawks did not have three or more players with double-figure points; however, two players finished just short with nine total points. Southeast had eight players with six or more points.
Southeast found themselves with a comfy 15-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 26-11. The Redhawks started the game with six separate players all scoring to go up 13-4 in the first five minutes. The Redhawks used a 16-point run to take a 19-4 lead on the Roos. A 7-2 run by UMKC ended the first quarter with Southeast up 26-11.
Connor King finished the opening frame with seven points to lead the Redhawks while
Imani Johnson was close behind with six.
Down 28-11, UMKC used six unanswered points early in the second frame to narrow the Southeast lead to 11, 28-17. A 3-pointer by UMKC's Daiijane Dillard with just under three minutes left in the half shrunk the Redhawk lead to nine, 34-25.
The Redhawks ended the half on a 9-2 run to widen the lead back to 15 going into halftime, 44-29.
Adrianna Murphy capped the half with a pair of made free throws.
Each team put up 18 points in the second quarter to keep the Redhawk lead steady at 15 at halftime.
Olivia Hackmann was the Redhawks' point leader at half with 10. Johnson had eight points in the half followed by King with seven. King had three rebounds to lead the category for the Redhawks.
Southeast was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in the first half.
The Redhawks found their largest lead of the game yet with 6:17 left in the third when
Hannah Noe drained a 3-point shot to put Southeast up by 20, 57-37.
Southeast kept the 20-point lead at the end of the third quarter, 69-49.
The Redhawks' largest lead of the game of 23 points came on a 3-pointer by
Ashton Luttrull early in the final frame.
As soon as the Redhawks found their 23-point lead, a five-minute scoring drought ensued, allowing UMKC to go on an eight-point run to narrow the Redhawk lead to 15. A layup by Hackmann ended the scoring drought for Southeast with 4:07 to play in the game.
The Redhawks finished out the game on top by 13, 78-65; extending their winning streak to three games.
Hackmann led the Redhawk offense with 16 points, thanks in part to a perfect 8-for-8 performance from the free-throw line. Hackmann's eight made free throws and five assists were career-highs for the senior.
Johnson had a career evening, putting up 12 points on four field goals and four free throws. Luttrull also had a career game, putting up nine points in the game. Luttrull was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field including a 3-pointer.
Southeast finished the game shooting 15-18 (83.8%) from the charity stripe, a new season-best. Overall, the Redhawks shot 54.7% from the field, also a season-high.
The Redhawks will embark on a six-game road tilt beginning Tuesday at Western Illinois. The Redhawks and Leathernecks will tip off at 11 a.m. from Macomb, Illinois.
