Edwardsville, Ill.  – Southeast Missouri women's basketball fell to the SIUE Cougars 65-57 on Wednesday to kick off a two-game road trip.
 
Things were clicking on the offensive end for both teams early, with each team hitting four of their first six shots. Ashton Luttrull returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with injury and hit her first two shots for a quick five points.
 
The Cougars shooting dipped midway through the first but didn't lose much ground as they hit multiple three pointers and forced a couple Southeast turnovers.
 
At the end of one SEMO led SIUE 19-17. Southeast shot 56 percent from the field in the first quarter.
 
The Redhawks offense hit a lull in the second period, scoring just two points in the opening five minutes of the quarter. The Cougars offense also began to struggle, as they went over seven minutes without scoring a field goal, missing 10 consecutive shots at one point.
 
At halftime Southeast led 26-23. The Redhawks held SIUE to 28 percent shooting for the half and forced nine turnovers.
 
Both teams began to trade baskets in the third quarter, the lead never exceeding three points in the first half of the third period. Tesia Thompson began to heat up for the Redhawks with 10 points in the quarter to help SEMO gain a five point lead entering the fourth period.
 
After three the Redhawks led the Cougars 46-41.
 
Southeast struck first in the fourth period before SIUE answered with a 6-0 run cutting the lead to one point prompting a SEMO timeout.
 
A lay in from Adrianna Murphy extended the Southeast lead to six with five minutes remaining. SIUE then went on a 5-0 to cut the lead to just one with 4:28 left.
 
SIUE took the lead 56-55 at the three minute mark after a three-pointer by Jay'Nee Alston. The Cougars followed that up with a three point play from Zaria Whitlock to extend their lead to four. A three from Donshel Beck at the 1:23 mark stretched the lead to six.
 
Southeast couldn't find anything on the offensive end the rest of the game as they fell by eight. SEMO went on a three-minute scoring drought and missed nine consecutive field goals in the final five minutes of the game.
 
Tesia Thomspon led the way for the Redhawks once again with 16 points and seven rebounds.
 
Southeast will next battle the EIU Panthers this Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at Lantz Arena.