OVC #4
Southeast Missouri (4-4, 2-1 OVC) at Tennessee State (0-6, 0-4 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, January 9, 2021
Tip-off: 1 p.m., CT
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Gentry Center
Series: SEMO leads all-time series, 26-22
Last Meeting: SEMO Win 84-50 | Jan. 2, 2021 | Show Me Center
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (84-77, Sixth Season); Ty Evans (0-6, First Season)
Follow the Redhawks
Video: ESPN+
Radio: ESPN 93.5 FM & 1220 AM (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)
Tennessee State (PDF)
Redhawks Complete Regular-Season Home-and-Home at TSU
Southeast Missouri women's basketball (4-4, 2-1 OVC) heads to the Music City Saturday to complete its regular-season home-and-home series with Tennessee State (0-6, 0-4 OVC). Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m., CT, at the Gentry Center.
Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen to Saturday's game live on the radio at ESPN 93.5 FM & 1220 AM with Erik Sean calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+. Follow the game on Twitter @OfficialSEMOWBB.
Series History
SEMO leads the all-time series against Tennessee State, 26-22. The Redhawks pummeled Tennessee State, 84-50, last Saturday (Jan. 2) at the Show Me Center to open 2021.
The Redhawks also won the lone meeting during the 2019-20 season, 83-54, at the Show Me Center on Jan. 11, 2020. SEMO is currently on a three-game win streak in the series between the two squads, with the past three victories in Cape Girardeau at the Show Me Center.
Scouting the Tigers
Tennessee State (0-6, 0-4 OVC) enters the meeting with SEMO after a pair of home losses to Austin Peay (62-37, Monday) and UT Martin Thursday, 80-39.
The TSU seniors have been the early leaders for the squad. Taylor Roberts, who has missed the last three games, is leading the team in scoring with 17.7 ppg while Andreana Wrister is turning in 14.3 ppg. Jaden Wrightsell is almost averaging a double-double with 10.2 ppg and 9.0 rpg.
TSU is averaging 50.8 points per game while shooting 31.2 percent from the field and 19.2 percent from three-point range. The Tigers are eighth in the OVC in steals (7.5 spg) and seventh in offensive rebounds (12.8 rpg).
TSU was selected to finish last in the conference preseason poll in head coach Ty Evans' first season.
Bussard Named OVC Player of the Week
Sophomore guard Sophie Bussard was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday, as the Redhawks earned their first two OVC victories of the 2020-21 campaign.
Redhawks at Belmont Rescheduled
SEMO's road game at Belmont has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 9 at 5 p.m., CT in Nashville, Tennessee.
Career Week for Bussard
Sophie Bussard led SEMO this past week with 37 points (18.5ppg) in 75 minutes of court time. She closed out 2020 with a then career-best 15 points with six rebounds and three assists in SEMO's win over Tennessee Tech on Dec. 30. She was 6-for-12 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range.
Bussard improved on her personal-high points total with 22 in the Redhawks win over Tennessee Tech this past Saturday (Jan. 2). After opening the contest 1-for-5 on the three-ball in the first half, Bussard connected on an 80 percent clip (4-for-5) from behind the arc in the second half to finish 5-for-10. Overall, she shot 8-for-13 on field goals in the game while chipping in four boards and three assists.
Bussard finished the week with 10 boards, six assists and went 2-for-3 at the charity stripe. She also shot north of 50 percent on both field goals (56 percent) and 3-pointers (53 percent).
First Two OVC Wins of the Season
SEMO overcame Tennessee Tech (3-2, 1-1 OVC), 79-70, to capture the Redhawks' first Ohio Valley Conference win of the 2020-21 season Dec. 30, 2020 at the Eblen Center. The Redhawks then earned their second OVC win of the campaign with an 84-50 drubbing of TSU last Saturday (Jan. 2).
Four Double-Digit Scorers
When SEMO finishes with at least four double-digit scorers, the Redhawks are 4-0 including 2-0 in the OVC (at TTU and vs. TSU).
This past Saturday (Jan. 2) against TSU, Sophie Bussard led all scorers with a career-best 22 points. LaTrese Saine chipped in 15 points, Taelour Pruitt added 14 points and Roshala Scott poured in a personal-best 13 points for the second-straight game.
At TTU on Dec. 30, 2020, Tesia Thompson's finished with 21 points, Sophie Bussard added 15 points, Roshala Scott chipped in 13 points and Taelour Pruitt poured in 11 points.
SEMO also had four double digit scorers in its wins over Western Illinois on Dec. 11 (67-57) and University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy on Dec. 1 (75-44).
Season-Bests
SEMO notched a season-high of 84 points in its victory over Tennessee State on Jan. 2 after totaling 79 at Tennessee Tech on Dec. 30, 2020. This past Saturday's 34-point margin over TSU was the highest this season. The Redhawks knocked down a campaign-best 10 3-pointers as well as pulled down 54 boards.
SEMO shot a season-best 55.2 percent (32-58) in its first OVC victory of the season at TTU (Dec. 30, 2020). The Redhawks connected at a rate of 8-for-12 (66.67 percent) in both the first and fourth quarters. SEMO was also 50 percent (6-12) on the three-ball. Sophie Bussard and Taelour Pruitt were both 2-for-3 from behind the arc. Terri Smith was one of three and Roshala Scott split her two trey attempts.
Second Chance Opportunities
The Redhawks led TSU in second chance points, 26-0, in the first meeting this past Saturday (Jan. 2). It was the most second chance points for the Redhawks and the least allowed this season. SEMO outrebounded the Tigers, 54-30, including 25 on the offensive glass and 29 defensively.
Lucky No. 13
Roshala Scott matched a career-best 13 points in each of the two OVC contests last week for the Redhawks. Scott has finished with that point total three times in her career at SEMO. She also finished the week with 11 assists and seven rebounds including six each last Saturday against TSU (Jan. 2).
The Prowess of Pruitt
Offensively, Taelour Pruitt has registered double-digit points in the last five Redhawks games. The Arlington, Texas native, most recently compiled 14 against TSU last Saturday (Jan. 2) and 11 at TTU (Dec. 30, 2020).
Pruitt registered five assists for the third time this season, with a game-high against UT Martin in the league opener on Dec. 18, 2020. She averages 3.0 assists per game and has dished out at least one in each game this season.
At the charity stripe, Pruitt is sinking her free throws at an 87 percent clip (20-for-23), which is second in the league.
Pillers of the Community
Nyrobi Pillers led the Redhawks off the bench in SEMO's 79-70 victory over Tennessee Tech on Wednesday with a career-high eight points in 11 minutes of court time. Pillers, a junior from Atlanta, Georgia, hit four of her five field goal attempts while also notching four boards. She followed up that game with four points, hitting both her attempts from the field, in the SEMO victory over TSU (Jan. 2).
Pillers has posted three or more rebounds (3.7 rebounds/game) in each of the past six Redhawks games including four at TTU and five against TSU.
Thompson on the Glass
Tesia Thompson led the Redhawks this past week with 26 total rebounds and paces the team this campaign with 63 (7.9rpg). Thompson opened the week with a career-best matching 16 at TTU (Dec. 30, 2020) and followed that performance with 10 against TSU (Jan. 2). She ranks second in the OVC with 63 rebounds (7.9rpg, seventh).
Offensively, Thompson chipped in 29 points this past week including a 21-point outing at TTU to close 2020 with her first double-double (19th career) of the 2019-20 season. She was 8-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. Thompson achieved the feat during the opening 20 minutes (13 points and 11 rebounds). Against TSU, she was just two points shy of a double-double.
That's Saine
LaTrese Saine notched her first double-double of the season this past Saturday (Jan. 2) against TSU. Saine finished with 15 points and 10 boards for her second double-double as a Redhawk. She shot 6-for-15 from the field (.400) and was perfect on all three trips to the charity stripe.
Saine also concluded the contest with three assists and three blocks. Saine leads the Redhawks this season with 23 blocks (2.9 blocks/game) and has registered a block in each of the past six games. She has notched a season-high of five twice including most recently at TTU (Dec. 30, 2020) last week.
Approaching the Century Mark
Tesia Thompson has started in all eight games this season and is three games away from 100 in her career at SEMO. Thompson has appeared in 97 contests thus far as a Redhawk.
In the OVC this season, Thompson leads the conference in points (140), field goal attempts (117), field goals made (50), free throw attempts (48) and free throws made (36). Thompson's 17.5 points per game puts her second in the league. On the glass, she ranks second in the OVC with 63 rebounds (7.9rpg, seventh).
Board Woman Gets Paid
The Redhawks lead the league with 334 rebounds this season and are outrebounding their opponents by a margin of 5.5, good for second in the OVC. SEMO averages 41.75 boards per game which is second in the conference.
Block Party
As a team, the Redhawks are second overall in the league with 47 blocks this season and 5.9 blocks per game. SEMO registered a season-best nine total blocks in its victory over TTU (Dec. 30, 2020) and had six against TSU (Jan. 2).
LaTrese Saine is second in the conference with 23 (2.88 blocks/game) and Kennedi Allen is third with 11 (1.38 blocks/game, fourth).
Charity Stripe
SEMO has connected at a 71.2 percent clip from the free throw line this season, which ranks fourth in the league. In all three OVC matchups this season, the Redhawks have connected at 70 percent or better. SEMO registered a season-high percentage of 81.8 in the season opener against #5 Louisville on Nov. 25.
In the OVC, the Redhawks are second with 94 free throws made and 132 trips to the free throw line.
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 then 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) averaged just under 10 points per game during the non-conference slate. Saine has also posted 33 boards (6.6 per game) with 14 blocks (2.8 per game).
OVC Preseason Poll
SEMO was picked third in the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll. 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.
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, 2019) in the first quarter. She currently has 1,637 career points, putting her second all-time on the school's career scoring list in the Division I era.
OVC Tournament Champions
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.
