CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – A 44-point second half propelled Southeast Missouri women's basketball (9-6, 2-0 OVC) to a comeback victory over Tennessee State (5-9, 0-1 OVC) Saturday, 75-65.
 
The Redhawks open Ohio Valley Conference play 2-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
 
Imani Johnson tallied a new season/career-high 20 points while Ashton Luttrull exploded for 17 points in the game, also a new career-best. With Johnson and Luttrull both coming off the bench, the bench put up 46 points in Saturday's game.
 
Southeast trailed Tennessee State by a point, 12-11, at the conclusion of the first quarter.
 
Turnovers plagued the Redhawks in the frame as Southeast committed seven in the first 10 minutes. The Lady Tigers took advantage of the mistakes, scoring eight points off turnovers.
 
Johnson drained a pair of foul shots to start the second quarter, giving Southeast its first lead of the game, 13-12. The lead didn't last long as TSU answered with six-straight points to go up 18-13 on the Redhawks.
 
Down 30-25 with two minutes to play, Bri Mitchell and Johnson each drained a pair of free throws to pull within one of the Lady Tigers, 30-29.
 
At the conclusion of the first half, Southeast trailed 35-31.
 
Johnson led the Redhawks with 12 first-half points thanks in part to a perfect 8-for-8 performance from the free-throw line. Mitchell ended with eight points in the first half.
 
Southeast committed 16 turnovers in the half; TSU turned those turnovers into 15 points against the Redhawks.
 
With TSU up seven and 5:06 to play, Luttrull drained three-straight 3-point buckets to give the Redhawks a 47-46 lead.
 
Southeast never relinquished the lead as the Redhawks led 51-50 going to the fourth quarter.
 
Luttrull had 11 points in the third period alone, setting a new career-best. Her three 3-pointers were also a career best for the sophomore.
 
A TSU 3-point bucket gave the Lady Tigers their last lead of the game, 53-51, 28 seconds into the fourth quarter.
 
The Redhawks slowly pulled away and built a comfortable lead on TSU as the period progressed.
 
After trailing 35-31 after the first half, Southeast turned the table and outscored the Lady Tigers 44-30 in the second half en route to the 75-65 victory.
 
Johnson's drained a new career-best 12 free throws on way to her 20-point perfromance. The 12 made free throws is the most by a Redhawk since Mitchell did it at UT Martin on Jan. 13, 2014.
 
Luttrull was responsible for Southeast's three 3-point buckets. Luttrull also earned a new career-high four steals.
 
Mitchell picked up her sixth double-digit point performance in the last seven games with 16 points. Mitchell was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
 
Deja Jones finished as Southeast's rebounds leader with nine in the game. As a team, Southeast outrebounded TSU, 44-30.
 
As a team, Southeast made a season-best 28 free throws and shot 84.8% from the line, also a new season-high.
 
After committing 16 turnovers the first half, Southeast limited the turnover count to just six in the second half.
 
The Redhawks bring their five-game homestand to a close with a 3-2 record. Southeast improves to 5-2 in the Show Me Center this season.
 
Southeast Missouri will return to the road when it heads to Morehead State on Thursday, Jan. 7. The Redhawks and Eagles tip off at 7:15, CT.