CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (19-5, 11-2 OVC) knocked off UT Martin (15-9, 11-2 OVC) by a score of 71-69, moving into a tie for first in the Ohio Valley Conference Thursday. 
 
SEMO, Belmont and UT Martin share the top spot with identical 11-2 league records with five games remaining in the regular-season. 
 
UTM jumped out to an early lead, getting ahead of the Redhawks by as many as nine points. SEMO went on a 6-0 run in the end of the first quarter to cut the Skyhawk lead to four. 
 
SEMO tied the game at 28-28 for the first time with 1:30 remaining in the first half after a 6-0 run. Kennedi Allen made three free throws to ignite the surge that Tesia Thompson capped with a layup.  
 
The Redhawks started to pull away in the third quarter with the help of a big 14-0 run. As a result, SEMO took a 50-45 advantage and outscored 22-13 in the period. 
 
Jocelyn Taylor, Thompson and Carrie Shephard all scored six points each in the third quarter to lead the Redhawks. 
 
SEMO extended its lead to 58-47 in the fourth quarter when Taelour Pruitt made a layup. That was the Redhawks largest lead of the night. 
 
Thompson led the Redhawks with 22 points for her 20th double-digit scoring game of the season and third-consecutive game with 20-plus points.
 
Shephard (12) and Taylor (10) also recorded double figures in the scoring column. 
 
Additionally, Shephard drained two 3-pointers to bring her season total to 74 three-pointers made this season. She broke her own single-season record of 73 which was set last season. 
 
Chelsey Perry posted 36 points, eight rebounds and five steals to lead UTM. 
 
SEMO will host SIU Edwardsville Saturday.