CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.– Southeast Missouri (6-14, 1-6) dropped a heartbreaking 87-86 triple overtime thriller to SIU Edwardsville (6-13, 2-5) during a late night at the Show Me Center Thursday.
 
Cameron Williams blocked Isaiah Gable's 3-point attempt at the top of the arc with one second left in the third overtime as the Cougars hung on and completed a sweep of SEMO this season.
 
SEMO had a 67-60 lead with 3:08 remaining in regulation when SIUE scored eight of the next nine points to tie the game. Williams' layup made it a 68-68 contest with 1:07 on the clock.
 
The Redhawks had a chance to pull ahead, but Gabe McGlothan missed a jumper. On its next possession, SIUE missed a pair of 3-pointers and a jumper, and grabbed two offensive rebounds to set up the initial overtime.
 
SIUE led, 76-74, after Christian Ellis made a layup toward the end of the first extra period. Gable then inbounded the ball with a fullcourt pass that was tipped and landed in the hands of Sage Tolbert. Tolbert turned and banked in a shot at the buzzer to knot things up at 76-76.
 
A total of seven missed shots between the two teams in the final 2:39 of the second overtime set the stage for the game's final five-minute stretch.
 
David McFarland then accounted for seven of SIUE's nine points to lead the Cougars to victory. McFarland made 5-of-6 free throws and had a steal in his last three minutes before fouling out.
 
Nygal Russell rebounded a missed Tyresse Williford 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, raced up the court and passed the ball to Ledarrius Brewer. It appeared as though Brewer was fouled, but a jump ball was called. SEMO retained possession and called a 30-second timeout before Gable's 3-point attempt.
 
Tolbert gave SEMO a nice boost in the first half pitching 13 points in 12 minutes off the bench.
 
The Redhawks and Cougars exchanged leads eight times in the opening stanza. SEMO built a 22-14 lead when Brewer's layup capped an 8-0 run with 9:20 remaining.
 
SEMO later went scoreless for a span of 4:26 and SIUE managed to get a 25-24 edge when Brandon Jackson made a layup with a little under five minutes to play. 
 
Tolbert ended the drought with his second career 3-pointer that regained the lead for the Redhawks. Tolbert's trifecta ignited a 12-4 run as SEMO pulled ahead, 36-29, at the 1:32 mark. Tolbert also finished off the run with a layup.
 
SIUE answered by scoring the final five points of the half to cut SEMO's lead to 36-34 at the intermission. The Redhawks headed into the locker room with their first halftime lead in Ohio Valley Conference play and first since Dec. 21.
 
Brewer led the Redhawks with 24 points, while Tolbert and McGlothan followed with a career-high 18 points apiece. McGlothan, in his first career start, added 16 rebounds for his first double-double at SEMO. Tolbert pulled down eight rebounds, as well.
 
SEMO shot 21-of-35 at the free throw line and missed six free throws in overtime (9-of-15). The Redhawks shot 44.8 percent (30-of-67) from the field for the night.
 
McFarland topped SIUE with 21 points. Williford contributed 18 points and nine rebounds, Brandon Jackson turned in a double-double 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Williams posted 13 points. SIUE outrebounded SEMO, 58-51, with a hefty 21-8 advantage on the offensive glass.
 
Tonight was SEMO's first triple overtime game in 11 years. The Redhawks last played a triple overtime contest when it beat Austin Peay, 121-116, on Jan. 29, 2008.
 
Both coaching staffs wore yellow shoe strings to support the Lace Up for Lacey initiative as part of this year's Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week. Lacy Holsworth was an 8-year old basketball fan who lost her battle with cancer.
 
SEMO returns to action when it hosts Eastern Illinois Saturday.