RICHMOND, Ky. – Four Redhawks finished in double-figures as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (8-5, 6-2 OVC) defeated Eastern Kentucky (6-8, 5-5 OVC), 61-55, Saturday at McBrayer Arena.
 
Tesia Thompson paced the Redhawks with 18 points and six rebounds. Roshala Scott added a career-high 15 points, on a 7-for-12 shooting day. Terri Smith and LaTrese Saine each chipped in 10 points apiece. Saine also had a game-high 11 boards for her second-straight double-double outing.
 
Saine registered two blocks Saturday to surpass Chandra Brown (2004-05, 49) for the Redhawks single-season blocks record with 51. She now has all three SEMO blocks records in single-game (10), career (160) and season.
 
Tied at 29-29 at the break, SEMO utilized a 13-6 third quarter to pull ahead 42-35. The Redhawks started the frame with a 6-0 run to increase their advantage to 36-29 with 5:47 showing on the clock.
 
The Colonels missed their first eight shots of the second half and went on a 6:02 scoring drought to start the period.
 
Scott buried a 3-pointer after a bucket by Jayla Johnson with 3:45 to play in the third to make the score 38-31.
 
SEMO extended its margin to 12 to start the final quarter. Scott tipped in a basket and Smith hit a trey to give the Redhawks their largest lead of the day with 9:04 left in regulation.
 
EKU responded and cut the SEMO lead to four (55-51) with a 3-pointer by Emma Hacker with 2:07 remaining before a three-point play from Thompson pushed the edge back to seven (58-51).
 
SEMO shot 37 percent from the field (23-63) and just 24 percent (4-for-17) from three-point range. The Colonels converted on 41 percent of their shots and were perfect on all five of their free throw attempts.
 
The Redhawks benefited from 16 points off EKU turnovers.
 
Johnson finished with a season-best 19 points with seven rebounds and two blocks for EKU. Kendall Wingler added 15 points and three assists. 
 
SEMO next returns to Cape Girardeau for a pair of games against SIUE and Eastern Illinois Thursday, Jan. 28 and Saturday, Jan. 30. The Redhawks host SIUE next Thursday at the Show Me Center at 5 p.m., CT. SEMO closes out the week with EIU next Saturday at 2 p.m.