CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Antonius Cleveland had a double-double 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Southeast Missouri (3-2) to an 83-72 win over UT Rio Grande Valley (0-5) Tuesday night at the Show Me Center.
 
Cleveland, limited to just nine minutes due to early foul trouble in the first half, erupted for 17 points and nine boards in the game's final period.
 
UTRGV, after trailing by eight points twice, continued to chip away at SEMO's lead and went ahead with the help of an 11-2 run immediately following the first media timeout of the second half.
 
Xavier McDaniel Jr. knocked in a 3-pointer to give the Vaqueros a 46-44 advantage (12:13). McDaniel late made a layup and Moe McDonald split a pair of free throws to grab UTRGV a four-point edge, but SEMO took control from then on.
 
The Redhawks delivered a big blow with an ensuing 16-1 run ignited by back-to-back 3-point plays by Cleveland and Trey Kellum. Jamaal Calvin also contributed a pair of 3-pointers as SEMO took a double-digit lead at 63-52 with 5:58 remaining.
 
SEMO's lead would fall below double figures only once in the final six minutes. The Redhawks then led by as many as 13 points multiple times before polishing off their second double-digit win of the season.
 
"You never want to go into any holiday break with a loss," SEMO head coach Rick Ray said. "I was proud that we got this win against a team that presses all the time."
 
The Redhawks had 10 different players reach the scoring column in the first half.
 
Down, 11-5, with 16:08 left to play, SEMO went on a 17-3 run over the next 6:14 to build an eight-point cushion.
 
Denzel Mahoney made a jumper to tie the game just before Jaylen Benton buried a 3-pointer to grab the Redhawks their first lead. William Tchiengang scored back-to-back baskets to cap the run that put SEMO ahead, 22-14, with just under 10 minutes left.
 
Lew Stallworth made a layup to trim the Redhawks lead to four. SEMO, however, answered by scoring seven of the next 10 points to go up by eight again, this time on Daniel Simmons' layup (37-29) with 55 seconds to go.
 
Stallworth countered with a 3-pointer on the Vaqueros ensuing possession as UTRGV closed the gap to 37-32 at the half.
 
Cleveland shot 8-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 at the free throw line en route to his team-high eighth career double-double. He also dished out four assists and had two steals in 27 minutes.
 
Like Cleveland, Kellum made a big impact, as well. He posted 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a block and one steal in 32 minutes.
 
"Trey changed the game for us defensively," Ray said. "His ability to switch on ball screens was the key tonight."
 
Calvin added 14 points on 5-of-7 field goals, including four from downtown.
 
SEMO moved to 3-1 in games where it had three or more players score double figures this season.
 
The Redhawks shot 50 percent (15-of-30) in the second half and 47.5 percent (29-of-61) for the game. Additionally, SEMO outrebounded the Vaqueros, 40-28, for its largest advantage on the boards through five contests.
 
Stallworth led all scorers with a game-high 23 points.
 
SEMO breaks for Thanksgiving before resuming non-conference action at UMKC on Nov. 28.
 
Media Note: Senior forward and team captain Joel Angus III will miss the rest of the season. Angus will have hip surgery and seek a medical redshirt to return next year.