CARBONDALE, Ill. – Despite leading the majority of the game, Southeast Missouri women's basketball (5-6) ultimately fell to Southern Illinois (4-4) Friday afternoon 77-70 in Carbondale, Illinois.
Southern Illinois produced a 27-point fourth quarter to overtake the Redhawks and capture its third home victory of the season.
Bri Mitchell turned in her second 20-point game of the season with 21 points against the Salukis. She pulled in six total rebounds, a new season high.
In all, Southeast had four players in double-figure scoring.
Olivia Hackmann finished with 15 points while
Hannah Noe had 13.
Deja Jones recorded Southeast's first double-double since Nov. 25, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Seven of Jones' rebounds came under the Redhawks' own basket. Jones is the first Redhawk other than Hackmann to have a double-double this season.
The Redhawks were held to 39 percent (30-of 77) shooting from the field while tying a season-low 25 percent (5-of-20) shooting from 3-point range.
Southeast outrebounded the Salukis 40-35 while grabbing 22 offensive boards.
The start of the first quarter featured back-and-forth action from both ends of the court. SEMO found its first lead of the day on a couple made free-throws by Mitchell, 6-5. SIU worked to take a 10-8 lead but Jones completed a layup on the other end to tie up the contest at 10. The Redhawks worked to open a sizable lead as the quarter expired with
Mandy Madden capping scoring with a last-second layup to lead by six after the first quarter, 22-16.
Mitchell led the way for Southeast in the first 10 minutes with six first-quarter points.
Hackmann began the second-quarter scoring with a 3-point bucket. Back-to-back layups by Jones opened a 13-point lead for SEMO at 29-16 in the first two minutes of the frame. A four-minute scoring lull for the Redhawks allowed Southern to rattle off 11 points and pull within three, 43-32. Southeast never relinquished the lead and led by one going into halftime, 38-37.
The Redhawks were outscored 21-16 in the second quarter.
Mitchell led SEMO in scoring with 10 at halftime while Noe and Jones each contributed eight. Jones was the Redhawks' rebound leader with six in the opening half.
SIU shot 56 percent from the field in the half while SEMO shot 39. On the boards, Southeast led in rebounding 21-16 with 13 of those coming on the offensive end of the court.
The Redhawks narrowly held onto their lead in the beginning of the third quarter but another scoring drought allowed Southern to find a lead. Up 43-39, Southeast went on a four-minute scoring lull as SIU put up eight unanswered points to locate a 47-43 lead on the Redhawks. Hackmann ended the drought with an elbow jumper on the baseline followed by a steal by Murphy who took it home with a layup to retie the game at 47. Southeast recaptured the lead and held a three-point advantage at the end of the quarter, 53-50.
Southeast narrowly outscored the Salukis in the third quarter 15-13 to hold on to the lead going into the final 10 minutes.
A 9-2 run to open the fourth quarter for SIU put the Salukis up 64-55 on Southeast. Southern was able to keep hold of a consistent nine-point lead the remainder of the quarter. The Salukis outscored Southeast 27-17 in the final quarter en route to the 77-70 victory.
Kylie Giebelhausen turned in 26 points with eight rebounds while Rishonda Napier had 20 points. Kim Nebo picked up a double-double in the contest with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Southeast Missouri will take a week off from competition and will return to action next Friday, Dec. 16 at Memphis.
