CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Marquis Terry surpassed 1,000 rushing yards this season and the defense did not give up a positive rushing yard as Southeast Missouri (3-8, 3-5) ended 2017 with a 21-10 victory over Murray State (3-8, 2-5) Saturday at Houck Field.
 
Start time for SEMO's season finale was delayed 50 minutes due to lightning in the area.
 
The Redhawk defense then set the tone, holding MSU to -9 rushing yards on 30 attempts. That marked a SEMO record for fewest rushing yards by an opponent in the Redhawks NCAA Division I era.
 
"It feels good to win the last game," said SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz. "It helps give us momentum heading into the offseason. I loved how our defense played. It was a dominant performance and a crazy good job by those guys!"
 
SEMO's stellar defensive performance also included two double-digit tacklers (Justin Swift, Zach Hall), six sacks, 11 tackles for loss and one takeaway. The Redhawks also stopped the Racers four times on fourth down and held them to just 3-of-17 on third down.
 
Terry scored the game's first touchdown on a 2-yard run with six minutes left in the first quarter after a Shabari Davis' 37-yard punt return set up the Redhawks at the MSU 2.
 
Cameron Sanders capped a 6-play, 42-yard march and extended SEMO's lead to 14-0 on a 9-yard run with 26 seconds left to play in the opening period.
 
Terry broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run, completing the Redhawks longest drive of the day at seven plays for 75 yards. That play widened SEMO's lead to 21-3 with 6:27 remaining in the third quarter.
 
MSU scored its only touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Cameron Birse to L.J. Gainey at the 3:01 mark of the fourth quarters.
 
Terry finished with 92 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, averaging 3.8 yards per touch. He concluded the season with 1,076 rushing yards in his first year as a Redhawk.
 
Defensively, Swift and Hall had 10 tackles apiece. Swift also tallied 2.5 sacks. Kendall Donnerson followed with seven tackles and two sacks. Donnerson recorded back-to-back sacks on the Racers final drive.
 
Jordon Gandy led MSU with 11 catches for 132 yards.
 
SEMO has beaten MSU three-straight times, marking the first time in the all-time series the Redhawks downed the Racers three-consecutive seasons.
 
Additionally, 16 seniors, including Isaac Diabagate, Donnerson, Tyler Fallert, Mike Ford, Rider Garrett, Hosket, Logan Larson, Terez Long, Tyler McLemore, Rico McWilliams, Chad Meredith, Gabe Phillips, Omar Pierre-Louis, Alex Snyder, Broedy Wheeler and Joshua Wilson were honored prior to kickoff.