CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Tesia Thompson scored a game-high 23 points as Southeast Missouri (20-5, 12-2) blew by SIU Edwardsville (3-22, 1-13), 80-57, Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 1,223 at the Show Me Center.
The win marked SEMO's 20th of the season. It is the Redhawks first 20-win season since 2007-08 (23-9).
SEMO stormed out to an 11-3 lead in the first 4:49 of the game. The Redhawks made layups on three of their possessions during that stretch which ended on a basket by Thompson.
SIUE answered with a 9-3 run of its own and pulled to within two (14-12) on Mikala Hall's jumper with 39 seconds left in the first quarter. SEMO, however, scored the final five points and Taelour Pruitt buried a 3-pointer as the opening quarter came to a close with the Redhawks ahead, 19-12.
Pruitt knocked down another 3-pointer on SEMO's first possession of the second quarter to extend the Redhawks lead to double-digits. The Redhawks went on to take a 35-23 advantage at the half.
SEMO scored nine of the first 13 points of the third quarter to increase its lead to 17. Pruitt buried a 3-pointer and Thompson, Shephard and Roshala Scott all scored to grab the Redhawks a 44-27 lead with a little over six minutes left.
The Redhawks led by as many as 29 (78-49) with 3:05 left in the fourth quarter before polishing off their 11th-straight win.
Thompson made 10-of-17 field goals and went 3-of-3 at the free throw line as one of four double-digit scorers for SEMO. Shephard followed with 19, Pruitt added 17 and Scott posted 11. Pruitt did not miss a 3-pointer going a perfect 5-of-5, while Sophie Bussard led the Redhawks with eight rebounds.
SEMO shot 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from the field in the fourth quarter and 47.6 percent (30-of-63) for the game. The Redhawks also outrebounded SIUE, 40-27, and grabbed 16 offensive boards.
Hall led SIUE with 13 points off the bench.
The Redhawks hit the road to face Jacksonville State on Feb. 20.
