EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Tesia Thompson scored a game-high 29 points and had 11 rebounds, and Taelour Pruitt made the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left to send #3 Southeast Missouri (23-7) to a thrilling 82-81 overtime win over #6 Tennessee Tech (17-13) Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
In overtime, SEMO went scoreless for a period of 2:21 before Roshala Scott got a big steal and scored on a layup to cut TTU's lead to 80-79 with 15 seconds left.
The Redhawks fouled immediately after TTU took a timeout. Abby Buckner went to the line to shoot two and split a pair of free throws as the Golden Eagles remained ahead, 81-79.
With one final shot and time running out, Pruitt stepped back and nailed her game-winning trifecta to give OVC Coach of the Year Rekha Patterson her first OVC Tournament victory. Patterson was 0-4 in OVC Tournament games prior to today.
The Golden Eagle defense trapped the Redhawks into committing four turnovers in 2:35 early in the third quarter. As a result, TTU went on a 13-2 run to take a 47-41 advantage. The Golden Eagles then managed to win the third quarter, 26-16.
TTU led, 67-57, with 7:49 left to play in regulation when SEMO put together a 12-2 run to tie the game.
Carrie Shephard converted a big 3-point play to pull the Redhawks within two and Jocelyn Taylor scored on a pair of huge second-chance layups, including the one that tied the game at 69-69 with 4:19 in the fourth quarter.
After that, SEMO missed four-straight field goals and went scoreless for over two minutes. TTU was able to build a four-point cushion following a jumper by Mackenzie Coleman and layup by Jordan Brock.
The Redhawks, however, continued to chip away at TTU's lead and tied the game again when Thompson and Scott hit layups to knot the score at 73-73 with 32 seconds on the clock.
Coming out of a timeout, Coleman launched a 3-pointer that came off the rim and TTU later turned the ball over after grabbing the offensive rebound.
SEMO had one final possession in regulation, but Thompson missed a jumper as time expired sending the game to overtime.
The Redhawks trailed, 37-34, at the half. Thompson scored 15 of her points in the opening stanza.
Thompson, a First-Team All-OVC selection, shot 12-of-30 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line. She also dished out six assists and collected two steals.
Taylor followed with 13 points and five rebounds off the bench.
Pruitt finished with nine points, including six from downtown.
SEMO and TTU exchanged leads 14 times and there were 12 ties in the game, as well.
Coleman led TTU with 28 points on 10-of-18 field goals. Additionally, the Golden Eagles buried 10 three-pointers.
SEMO beat TTU for the third time this season. Today's one-point victory came after the Redhawks beat the Golden Eagles by double figures twice during the regular-season.
The Redhawks advance to the OVC Tournament semifinals to face #2 Belmont on Thursday at 3 p.m., CT. Belmont beat SEMO in the OVC Tournament a year ago.
