CHARLESTON, Ill.– Tesia Thompson scored a game-high 20 points and Southeast Missouri (12-13, 7-7) shot a season-best 54.2 percent in a big 80-54 road win over Eastern Illinois (10-15, 4-10) Saturday afternoon at Lantz Arena.
 
The 80 points were SEMO's most in Ohio Valley Conference play this season. 
 
SEMO put the pedal down and never let up from start to finish using an aggressive offense and ferocious defense to complete its season sweep of the Panthers.
 
The Redhawks, who trailed 15-13 after the first 10 minutes of action, heated up to shoot a scorching 73.3 percent in the second stanza.
 
SEMO missed just four times from the field sinking 11-of-15 shots. The Redhawk defense smothered the Panthers into committing eight turnovers. SEMO scored 10 points off those miscues and held a comfortable 39-20 lead at the intermission, its largest halftime advantage in conference play this year.
 
Thompson led all scorers with 10 first-half points in a span of 17 minutes. The Redhawks scored 28 of their points inside the paint and did not miss a free throw (6-of-6) during the game's opening 20 minutes.
 
SEMO picked up where it left off in the second half putting together another 24-point quarter in the third period. Adrianna Murphy went over double figures with a jumper to secure her first double-digit effort in six games. Murphy's conventional 3-point play grabbed the Redhawks a hefty 53-27 lead with a little under six minutes remaining.
 
The Redhawks didn't cool off much shooting 60 percent (9-of-15) from the floor and a perfect 3-of-3 from downtown in the third quarter.
 
SEMO took its biggest lead of the day on Dolapo Balogun's free throw at the 2:46 mark before the Redhawks put their seventh league victory on ice.
 
Thompson shot 8-of-16 from the field and 3-of-4 at the free throw line, while pulling down a team-high six rebounds and dishing out four assists. Her 20-point effort marked her ninth of the season.
 
Murphy followed with 19 points, while Jocelyn Taylor and Carrie Shephard contributed 16 and 10 points, respectively.
 
As a team, the Redhawks made 32-of-59 field goals and shot 50 percent or better for the fourth time this season. SEMO also outrebounded EIU, 34-25.
 
Taylor Steele led EIU with 15 points. 
 
SEMO held its opponent under 60 points for the 11th game in 2018-19. 
 
The Redhawks continue their road stretch when they visit Austin Peay on Feb. 21.