CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's basketball defeated McKendree University 61-34 in its exhibition opener on Sunday afternoon.
 
The story of the game for the Redhawks was their defense, holding McKendree to single digit points in the first, second and fourth quarter. As a team, they held Bearcats to 25 percent shooting from the field.
 
Adrianna Murphy led the way for the Redhawks with 18 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in a team high 36 minutes.
 
True freshman Tesia Thompson netted eight points in her first career college game, forward Mandy Madden chipped in nine points and one block. Kennedi Allen showed her defensive presence with two blocks in her first game as a Redhawk.
 
Southeast was able to get an early lead holding McKendree to zero field goals in the first quarter, ending the period with a 16-4 lead. They maintained the defensive intensity in the second quarter and took a 37-12 lead at half, allowing just four field goals.
 
The Bearcats showed some life to start out the second half, knocking down two three-pointers and scoring 20 points in the period. The Redhawks lead, once at 18, was cut to just eight points late in the third quarter, but that was as close as McKendree came to a comeback.
 
SEMO answered the third quarter run by the Bearcats limiting McKendree to just 2 points in the final period, holding them scoreless for over six minutes. In the fourth quarter the Redhawks also scored a game high 18 points, leading them to a 61-34 victory.
 
Southeast will conclude its exhibition play on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against IU Southeast at home at the Show Me Center.