CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Freshman Denzel Mahoney scored 22 points to lead Southeast Missouri (11-13, 6-3) to an 82-71 win over Austin Peay (7-16, 3-6) Saturday night at the Dunn Center.
 
Mahoney finished as SEMO's leading scorer for the second-straight game and fourth time in five starts. The Redhawks picked up their fourth consecutive win and swept the Murray State/Austin Peay road trip for only the second time in school history.
 
"I thought it boiled down to whoever was going to defend better in the second half was going to win," said head coach Rick Ray. "I told our guys that if we could do that, we'd win the game. Our activity increased on the defensive end and we were able to make some stops with our 1-3-1 zone."
 
Still feeling the effects from its thrilling one-point victory at Murray State two nights ago, SEMO rallied behind another strong outing by Mahoney, who averaged 22.5 points for the two-game stretch.
 
The Redhawks led for 16:03 of the game's opening 20 minutes and shot a scorching 58.6 percent (17-of-29) from the field en route to getting a 44-39 halftime lead.
 
Mahoney dropped in 13 points and drained two of SEMO's four 3-pointers in the first half. The Redhawks widened their lead to six on two occasions when Milos Vranes came off the bench to knock down a three (15-9) and Mahoney made a jumper. Mahoney's shot put SEMO ahead, 17-11, with just under 13 minutes to play.
 
APSU tied the game six times and led twice for a quick 55 seconds in the first half.
 
Vranes rebounded a missed layup by Jonathan Dalton and scored the final basket of the half as the Redhawks went into the locker room with a lead for the ninth time this season.
 
The Governors, who never led in the second half, were within three on five occasions, but that was as close as they would get.
 
Antonius Cleveland made two free throws to give SEMO its first double-digit lead at 70-60 with 3:52 left to play.
 
The Redhawks added more free throws, this time by Jamaal Calvin, to take an 80-69 lead with 38 seconds remaining before closing out the victory.
 
Mahoney shot 7-of-11 from the field and 6-of-10 at the free throw line, collecting his fourth 20-point game in five starts. He also had five rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes, as he led all scorers.
 
Cleveland followed with 17 points on 6-of-12 field goals and 5-of-7 free throws. He added six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Cleveland went over 400 points this season in his 100^th career start. His 414 points are the most in a season for his career.
 
Trey Kellum contributed 13 points and six boards, and Calvin gave the Redhawks quality minutes off the bench. He finished with 10 points in 18 minutes.
 
SEMO shot 54 percent (27-of-50) for the night and improved to 7-2 in games where it shoots 50 percent or better this year. The Redhawks shot 50 percent or better for the seventh time in 10 contests.
 
Defensively, SEMO held APSU's top scorer, Josh Robinson, to 10 points on 3-of-12 from the floor. Robinson came into the game averaging 21.9 points per game and 23 in league play. The Redhawks held the Governors to a .320 field goal percentage in the second half.
 
All five APSU starters scored double figures.
 
SEMO is on a four-game winning streak for the first time since the 2013-14 season. That year, the Redhawks' longest winning streak was five games.
 
The Redhawks, who wrapped up January with a 5-3 record, travels to Jacksonville State on Feb. 1.