OVC #2
Southeast Missouri (2-4, 0-1 OVC) at Tennessee Tech (3-1, 1-0 OVC)
 
Game Information
Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Tip-off: 5 p.m., CT
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Arena: Eblen Center
Series: Tennessee Tech leads the series, 32-21
Last Meeting: SEMO Win 82-81 OT | March 5, 2020 | OVC Tournament First Round
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (82-76, Sixth Season); Kim Rosamond (59-67, Fifth Season)
 
Follow the Redhawks
Video: ESPN+
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)
Tennessee Tech
 
Closing 2020 at Tennessee Tech
Southeast Missouri women's basketball (2-4, 0-1 OVC) concludes the 2020 calendar year Wednesday in Cookeville, Tennessee, with a matchup against Tennessee Tech (3-1, 1-0 OVC). Tip-off is set for 5 p.m., CT, at the Eblen Center.
 
Follow the Redhawks 
Fans can listen to Wednesday's game live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM with Erik Sean calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+. Follow the game on Twitter @OfficialSEMOWBB.
 
Series History 
Tennessee Tech leads the all-time series with SEMO, 32-21. The Redhawks won all three meetings last season. SEMO overcame TTU, 87-72, in the first meeting at the Show Me Center on Feb. 8, 2020. The Redhawks then triumphed over the Golden Eagles, 72-59, in the second contest of the campaign in Cookeville, Tennessee on Feb. 22, 2020. In the third and final meeting, SEMO rallied from a 10-point deficit to overcome TTU in overtime on March 5, 2020, to advance to the semifinals of the OVC Tournament. Taelour Pruitt splashed the game-winning 3-pointer with one second remaining in the overtime period to propel the Redhawks past the Golden Eagles. 
 
Scouting the Golden Eagles
Tennessee Tech has fashioned a 3-1 (1-0 OVC) record thus far in the 2020-21 season. The Golden Eagles opened their season with a 76-65 loss at Chattanooga. TTU is currently on a three-game win streak with victories over Jacksonville State (68-66, 12/13/2020), Western Carolina (67-63, 12/16/2020) and Western Kentucky (73-59, 12/20/2020). 
 
Kesha Brady, a Preseason All-OVC Selection, leads TTU with 81 points (20.3 per game). Mackenzie Coleman (11.3 ppg) and Anna Jones (11.0 ppg) are also averaging double-digit scoring. Jones paces the team on the glass with 30 boards (7.5 rpg).
 
The Golden Eagles were pegged to finish the 2020-21 campaign fourth, a slot behind SEMO in the preseason rankings. 
 
OVC Opener Recap
SEMO fell to 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorite UT Martin (2-1, 1-0 OVC), 61-58, on Dec. 18 in its league opener at the Show Me Center. 
 
Triple Scoring Threat
Tesia Thompson (18), Taelour Pruitt (13) and LaTrese Saine (10) each registered double-figures to total 41 points in the Redhawks OVC opener on Dec. 18. It marked the second time this season that the trio had all finished in double-digits scoring. 
 
The prior occasion this campaign was SEMO's 67-57 victory over Western Illinois. Saine led the way with 16 points, followed by Pruitt (13) and Thompson (11). Sophie Bussard also recorded double-digits, concluding the contest with 11 points, for four Redhawks in double-figures. 
 
In both of SEMO's triumphs this season, the Redhawks have had four scorers finish in double-figures. SEMO overpowered the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy, 75-44, on Dec. 1 with Thompson (18), Bussard (13), Saine (12) and Roshala Scott (11) pacing the team offensively.
 
Scott for THREE!!
Down the stretch in SEMO's OVC opener against UT Martin on Dec. 18, Roshala Scott hit a pair of threes in a five-second span to pull the Redhawks within a possession, 61-58. 
 
Scott was a perfect 2-for-2 from behind the arc in the contest and finished with eight points, five rebounds and two steals. In 2020-21, she is 3-for-12 (.250) from three-point land. 
 
What a Third Quarter!!
SEMO notched a season-best 25 points in the third quarter of its conference opener against UT Martin on Dec. 18. Prior to that game, the Redhawks had returned from the halftime break to score 23 twice this season against Western Illinois (67-57 win, 12/11/2020) and in their matchup with the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (75-44 win, 12/1/2020).
 
SEMO last notched 25 points or more in the third quarter on March 6, 2020, in the semifinals of the OVC Tournament against Belmont. The Redhawks totaled 35 in the third quarter and 34 in the fourth period to oust Belmont, 114-99.
 
Rebounding Machine
Senior Kennedi Allen matched her season-high of five rebounds in SEMO's OVC opener against UT Martin on Dec. 18. Allen compiled four defensive boards and one on the offensive end for her second five-rebound outing in 2020-21. She also finished the game with three blocks           and two points in 21 minutes of court times.
 
In the past three games, Allen has notched at least one block including two at Southern Illinois on Dec. 13 and three in the OVC opener. She is fifth in the OVC with seven blocks this season (1.17 blocks/game, sixth). 
 
Block Party
LaTrese Saine is second overall in the league with 15 blocks (2.5 per game) during the 2020-21 campaign. Saine has registered a block in each of the past five games. The West Memphis, Arkansas native, tallied a season-best five against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 6. 
 
As a team, the Redhawks are second overall in the league with 32 blocks this season and 5.3 blocks per game. 
 
The Prowess of Pruitt
Offensively, Taelour Pruitt has registered double-digit points in the last three Redhawks games. The Arlington, Texas native, compiled 13 in the win over WIU on Dec. 11, 19 at SIU on Dec. 13 and 13 against UT Martin on Dec. 18. 
 
Pruitt has also proven to be quite the facilitator, registering five assists for the third time this season, with a game-high against the Skyhawks in the league opener. She averages 3.3 assists per game which ranks seventh in the OVC. 
 
Ro Scott with the Steal
Sophomore Roshala Scott leads the team with 13 steals, which is fifth in the OVC this season. Scott is averaging 2.17 steals per game (sixth in the OVC) and has notched at least one in all five games this season. Scott posted a career-best four steals in SEMO's victory over Western Illinois on Dec. 11 and recently had a pair against UT Martin on Dec. 18. 
 
Double-Digit Scoring
Tesia Thompson has scored in the double-digits in each of the past 28 games (22 in 2019-20 and all six in 2020-21), dating back to Dec. 29 of last season (18 points against Harris-Stowe). In this span, Thompson has notched 16 games (14 in 2019-20 and two this season) of 20 or more points. She has also hit 30-plus points twice, against Eastern Michigan (30) on Dec. 6 and 39 points against Belmont on March 6, 2020 in the OVC Tournament. 
 
In the OVC, Thompson leads the conference in points (108) and field goal attempts (95). She ranks second for field goals made with 39, free throws made (29), and free throws attempts (39). Thompson's 18.6 points per game puts her third in the league. 
 
Approaching the Century Mark
Tesia Thompson has started in all six games this season and is five games away from 100 in her career at SEMO. Thompson has appeared in 95 contests thus far as a Redhawk.  
 
Charity Stripe
SEMO has connected at a 70.9 percent clip from the free three line this season, which ranks third in the league. Tennessee Tech leads the OVC with a 74.0 percent free throw rate. The Redhawks most recently knocked down 12-for-15 (.800) at the charity stripe against UT Martin in the conference opener on Dec. 18. SEMO registered a season-high percentage of 81.8 in the season opener against #5 Louisville on Nov. 25. 
 
Non-Conference Slate
SEMO posted a 2-3 mark during the non-conference portion of it 2020-21 schedule. The Redhawks opened the season with a 74-53 loss to #5 Louisville on Nov. 25 before earning their first victory of the campaign over the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (75-44) on Dec. 1. SEMO dropped a 63-49 decision to Eastern Michigan on Dec. 6. The Redhawks notched their second win of the season over Western Illinois, 67-57. SEMO fell to regional rival, Southern Illinois, 67-51 in Carbondale, Illinois, on Dec. 18. 
 
Through five non-conference games, Tesia Thompson paced the team with 93 points (18.6 ppg) with 29 rebounds (5.8 per game). Taelour Pruitt (48 points) and LaTrese Saine (47 points) are averaging just under 10 points per game. Saine has posted 33 boards (6.6 per game) with 14 blocks (2.8 per game).
  
Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List
Her Hoop Stats named Southeast Missouri senior guard Tesia Thompson to the 2021 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List. Last season, Thompson averaged 19.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game. She ranked nationally in free throw attempts (14th, 206), free throws made (12th, 160) and points per game (17th, 19.7). Thompson was named to the OVC All-Tournament Team and earned tournament MVP honors after recording 93 points, 30 rebounds and 18 assists in three postseason contests.
 
OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri was picked third in the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll. Senior guard Tesia Thompson was named to the Preseason All-OVC Team for the third-straight year. SEMO tallied 206 points in the overall voting by the OVC Head Coaches and Communications Directors. The Redhawks also collected two first-place votes. UT Martin was picked as this year's preseason favorite after earning 242 points and 22 first-place votes. The Skyhawk's went 22-10 overall and 16-2 in the OVC en route to winning their first regular season title since 2015-16.
 
1,000 Point Club
Senior Tesia Thompson became just the 10th Redhawk in the Division I era to surpass 1,000 career points. She reached this milestone last season at Ole Miss (Dec. 14) in the first quarter. She currently has 1,608 career points, putting her second all-time on the school's career scoring list in the Division I era. 
 
Ohio Valley Conference Tournament
SEMO won its second OVC Tournament Championship in program history and first since 2006-07 this last season. The Redhawks went undefeated at 3-0 in this year's conference tournament winning each of their final two games by double figures against the tourney's top-two seeds. A day after a staggering offensive showcase, #3 Southeast Missouri used a remarkable defensive effort to stomp UT Martin and win the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title with a 67-47 victory on Mar. 7, 2020. The Redhawks, who claimed the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament, were unable to play further into the postseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Ring Ceremony and Banner Reveal
The Redhawks brought back the members of their historic 2019-20 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship team for a ring ceremony and banner reveal prior to their game against University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (Dec. 1). SEMO capped the 2019-20 season with an overall record of 25-7 and 14-4 mark in OVC play. The Redhawks put together three record-breaking performances at the OVC Tournament to capture the crown and secure the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.