CAPE GIRAREAU, Mo. – A 20-point, nine-rebound performance by Deja Jones gave Southeast Missouri women's basketball (10-14, 4-7) a fighting chance Saturday against second-place Morehead State (18-6, 8-3); but it wasn't enough in the end as the Redhawks fell to the Eagles, 82-72 at the Show Me Center.
 
Southeast held a five-point lead at halftime and found itself tied with Morehead going into the fourth quarter; however, the Eagles won the final frame 25-15 to grab the victory over SEMO.  
 
The game was Jones' third double-digit point and second 20-point game this season. She fell just short of a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds. She started the game 7-for-7 from the field but ended with a still very respectable 9-for-10 performance.
 
Bri Mitchell was one of two other Redhawks who scored in double-figures. She finished with 16 points and added 11 assists for her first career double-double. Saturday was her second double-digit assist game of her career. Mitchell also went 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Mitchell's 16 points extends her double-digit point streak to five games. Her three steals tied a career high.  
 
Hannah Noe was the third and final Redhawk to post double-digit points, finishing tied with Mitchell with 16. Noe tied a career-best four made free-throws, finishing 4-for-5 from the line.
 
As a team, Southeast was narrowly outshot in the contest, 40-39.4 percent. A 15-rebound fourth quarter resulted in Southeast being outrebounded in the game, 51-39.
 
It took almost a minute and 45 seconds for either team to score but it was neck-and-neck in the first quarter between SEMO and Morehead after that. The score was tied five times while the lead changed five times as well. Down a couple with 3:43 to play, SEMO not only held Morehead scoreless the rest of the frame, they strung together a 9-0 run to pull away and go ahead 18-11 at the end of the opening frame.
 
Jones already had a double-digit point game after the first quarter, registering 10 points. The Redhawks also outrebounded the Eagles, 14-11, including grabbing four offensive boards for six second-chance points. Southeast had 14 total points in the paint.
 
Southeast began the second quarter widening the lead to 12 at 23-11. Morehead State went on an 8-2 run to whittle the Redhawk lead down to six, then again to cut it to three points, 27-24. The Redhawks and Eagles went bucket-for-bucket the remaining 3:35 of the first half. The half ended with the Redhawks out in front by a handful, 35-30.
 
Jones led the team with a game-high 14 points at half while Mitchell had eight first-half points. Jones also led the way with seven rebounds and was 6-for-6 from the field.
 
The Eagles outrebounded the Redhawks in the second quarter, 16-12, and converted six offensive rebounds into 10 second-chance points.
 
Morehead managed to erase the Redhawk lead in the third quarter. The score was tied twice in the quarter while the lead changed hands twice. Southeast retained the lead much of the period but it ended with the Eagles and Redhawks all square at 57.
 
Noe exploded for 12 points in the third quarter to have 14 going to the fourth. Her four made free-throws in the frame tied a career high. Jones still led the squad with 16.
 
The Eagles began the final frame on a 10-2 run to begin pulling away from the Redhawks. The fourth ultimately came down to rebounding as Morehead outrebounded the Redhawks 15-5 with six offensive boards. The second-place Eagles proved too much in the end for Southeast as the Redhawks fell 82-72.
 
Shay Steele led the way for Morehead with 21 points. Four Eagle starters including one bench player all reached double-figure scoring. Point guard Darianne Seward recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Redhawks will host SIUE Wednesday Feb. 8 at the Show Me Center. Wednesday's game will be the Redhawks annual Pink Up game and is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m.