CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.– Southeast Missouri (4-15, 0-6) put together its best performance of the season in a close 96-91 overtime loss to rival Murray State (13-5, 6-0) Saturday afternoon in a wild one at the Show Me Center.
 
SEMO and MSU exchanged leads nine times and there were 10 lead changes in the thriller.
 
At the end, it was the Racers who pulled it out by scoring the first five points in overtime and outscoring SEMO, 18-13, in the final five minutes to eke out their 15^th-straight Ohio Valley Conference win.
 
The Redhawks held a 78-74 advantage after DQ Nicholas drove the lane and banked in a layup with 55 seconds left in regulation. 
 
Tevin Brown then made four free throws in the last 43 seconds, including the two that tied things up at 78-78 sending the game to overtime.
 
Jaiveon Eaves drained a 3-pointer and KJ Williams followed with two free throws to put MSU ahead, 83-78, the first 1:05 into overtime. After that, the Racers never lost their lead.
 
Anthon Smith's conventional 3-point play extended the Racers lead to seven (86-79) before SEMO narrowed the gap to three (90-87) when Nygal Russell threw down a two-handed dunk, was fouled and completed a 3-point play.
 
That was as close as the Redhawks would get the rest of the way.
 
SEMO trailed 37-20 with 3:51 remaining in the first half, but closed out the opening stanza on a 20-4 run to pull within one, 41-40, at the intermission.
 
Nicholas scored five points, all at the free throw line, and Russell added seven to lead the way during that surge that ended on a pair of Darrious Agnew free throws with 20 seconds to play.
 
Both SEMO (56 percent) and MSU (57.7 percent) were red-hot from the field in the first 20 minutes. Defensively, the Redhawks were tough and physical forcing eight turnovers which they turned into 15 points. SEMO collected seven steals, as well.
 
Sage Tolbert buried a 3-pointer to tie the game at 43-43 on SEMO's first possession of the second half.
 
SEMO, which managed to lead by as many as seven when Isaiah Gable knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Redhawks a 57-50 cushion with 11:52 left to play.
 
The Redhawks led in the second half all the way until Brown's 3-pointer regained a 73-71 edge for the Racers at the 3:04 mark.
 
Nicholas led SEMO with 21 points and made 11-of-13 free throws. It was the third time he scored over 20 points in a game this season.
 
Tolbert added a near double-double 16 points and nine rebounds, while Skyler Hogan and Russell contributed 16 and 13 points, respectively. For Russell, his 13 points marked a career-high.
 
SEMO shot 50.9 percent (29-of-57) from the field for the game and outrebounded MSU, 32-31. Additionally, 25 of SEMO's points came off turnovers.
 
Meanwhile, MSU finished shooting 57.1 percent (30-of-52) from the floor.
 
Brown poured in a game-high 29 points with 14 of those coming at the free throw line. Smith turned in a double-double 22 points and 10 rebounds. KJ Williams pitched in 19 points off the bench and Eaves tallied 13.
 
Both MSU (27-of-40) and SEMO (25-of-35) combined to shoot 75 free throws. Sixty-four fouls were also called in the game between the two teams.
 
Members of SEMO's 1999-2000 basketball team were honored at halftime as part of the team's 20^thAnniversary. The 1999-2000 team won the program's only OVC regular-season and tournament titles, and made the NCAA Tournament during the Division I era.
 
SEMO returns to action when it opens a four-game road stretch at SIU Edwardsville on Jan. 23.