MURRAY, Ky.– Alex Caldwell matched a season-high 18 points as Southeast Missouri (4-11, 0-2) fell to rival Murray State (9-5, 2-0), 81-59, Saturday night at the CFSB Center.
 
SEMO started strong by scoring on its first three possessions of the game to take a 7-2 lead. Quatarrius Wilson scored two layups and Alex Caldwell knocked down a 3-pointer to grab the early advantage.
 
Skyler Hogan later buried a 3-pointer to push SEMO's lead to six at 18-12 with 11:41 remaining in the first half.
 
After that, MSU answered by making six-straight field goals.
 
KJ Williams' dunk put the Racers ahead, 21-20, and MSU later extended its lead to seven on a jumper by Williams at the 5:55 mark.
 
Davin Gilmore's dunk off his own missed shot sent the Racers into the locker room with a 42-33 lead.
 
SEMO shot 44.8 percent (13-of-29) from the field and hung tough with MSU in the first half despite having three of its starters with two early fouls. Caldwell led the Redhawks with 11 first-half points.
 
MSU pulled away from SEMO when it began the second half with a 12-3 run. The Redhawks went scoreless for over three minutes while the Racers built a 54-36 lead.
 
Isaiah Gable's layup cut the Racers lead to 57-45 with 12:49 to go, but that was as close as SEMO would get. 
 
Caldwell shot 8-of-15 from the field, dished out three assists and grabbed two rebounds en route to his team-best ninth double-digit scoring performance.
 
Gable followed with 11 points in 29 minutes off the bench, while Wilson finished with 10 points.
 
MSU outrebounded SEMO, 39-25, and had more defensive rebounds (27) than the Redhawks had total rebounds. The Racers also scored 54 points inside the paint and held a +21 (34-13) margin in bench points.
 
KJ Williams led the Racers with 18 points as one of four players in double figures. Anthony Smith (16 points), Devin Gilmore (14 points) and Tevin Brown (13 points) were the others.
 
As a team, MSU shot 60.4 percent (32-of-53) from the floor.
 
SEMO was without guard Nygal Russell who did not play due to back spasms. Russell started Thursday's game at Austin Peay.
 
The Redhawks begin a four-game home stand against Belmont on Jan. 9.