Cape Girardeau, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's basketball defeated the Tennessee State Tigers 71-66 in a Saturday matinee at the Show Me Center.
 
The first quarter featured an abundance of turnovers for both teams, the Tigers with nine and the Redhawks with seven. Both teams shot it well when they were able to take care of the ball, each shooting over 65 percent from the field.
 
At the end of the first quarter Southeast led Tennessee State 20-14.
 
In the second quarter, both teams shooting percentage dipped down to around 50 percent, but the turnovers kept being called at a high rate. Each team turned the ball over nine times in the second period.
 
At halftime, SEMO led the Tigers 31-22.
 
Southeast traded buckets with TSU to start the third, maintaining a small lead until about the four-minute mark when the Tigers cut the lead to just four points after a bucket by Tia Wooten. After that bucket though, Southeast answered with a 9-0 run to take a modest lead into the fourth quarter.
 
After three, Southeast was leading 50-42 over Tennessee State.
 
SEMO gradually extended its lead throughout the fourth quarter, eventually stretching the lead to 11 points with 4:32 to play. It was a this point when the Tigers flipped the switch; going on 14-2 run to tie the game at 66-66 with 47 seconds left.
 
Tesia Thompson reclaimed the lead for SEMO with a layup with 34 seconds left putting Southeast up two. TSU burned their last timeout and drew up a play to take the lead. However, Taylor Williams was off on her three-point attempt, giving the ball back to SEMO with 25 seconds left and a two point lead.
 
Tennessee State intentionally fouled Tesia Thompson and she split the pair, putting SEMO up three and giving the Tigers one last chance to tie the game. But, on the next possession, Maxine Beard was whistled for a travel, marking the 29^th team turnover for the Tigers and giving the ball back to the Redhawks.
 
Thompson was fouled once more and hit the pair, leading to a five point SEMO victory. Thompson had 14 points in the fourth quarter for Southeast.
 
Southeast shot 47 percent from the field for the game and had 27 team turnovers.
 
Tesia Thompson ended the game with a career high 23 points after a huge fourth period. She also finished nine rebounds in the game.
 
Deja Jones had a very strong game for Southeast, ending with 21 points, nine rebounds and playing very strong defense throughout the game.
 
Tia Wooten led the way for the Tigers with 30 points.
 
This marks the Redhawks first win the OVC play this season, they are now 1-1 on the year in conference play, 6-8 overall.
 
Southeast will hit the road for their next two games, the first being at Murray State on Thursday. Tip-off for that game is set for 5 p.m. at the CFSB Center.