NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Four Redhawks finished in double-figures including a pair of double-double performances as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (5-4, 3-1 OVC) overcame Tennessee State (0-7, 0-5 OVC), 64-45, Saturday afternoon at the Gentry Center to complete the regular-season sweep of the Tigers.
LaTrese Saine led all SEMO scorers on her birthday with a career-best tying 16 points to complement a season-high 10 rebounds and six blocks for her second straight double-double. Saine, a redshirt-senior from West Memphis, Arkansas, was 6-for-10 from the field and 4-for-6 at the charity stripe.
Tesia Thompson also posted a double-double of 14 points and a game-high 12 boards with two assists and three steals.
Taelour Pruitt and
Roshala Scott both chipped in 11 points. Pruitt added a personal-best five steals for the fourth time in her career at SEMO. Scott also finished with three assists, two blocks and two steals.
Both teams started slow as Andreana Wrister connected on a jumper to give the Tigers the early lead, 2-0, 7:22 into the opening period. At the first media timeout, the scoreboard only read 4-4.
The Redhawks outshot TSU, 36.8 percent to 18.8 percent to start the contest.
SEMO closed out the first quarter with a 13-0 run (17-6) that was punctuated by Thompson's fifth 3-pointer of the season as the buzzer sounded.
Pruitt then hit a trey with 3:41 remaining in the half to extend the Redhawks advantage to 25-9. Taylor Roberts converted a lay-up to pull TSU within 14 (29-15) with 20 ticks left in the half.
SEMO shot just under 50 percent (13-for-29) in the second half to secure the victory.
After the break, the Redhawks distanced themselves from the Tigers with a 10-0 run for their largest lead of the day. Scott banked in a lay-up with 5:18 left in the third to increase the margin to 41-19.
Pruitt poured in seven points to lead the Redhawks in the frame, shooting 50 percent from the field. Thompson added six.
Deanay Watson sunk her first two career free throws as a Redhawk during the penultimate quarter and finished the contest with four points in nine minutes off the bench.
SEMO then shot a game-high 54.55 percent in the fourth to hold off TSU in an even 16-16 quarter. Saine was 4-for-4 from the field with 10 points in the period.
Wrister hit a basket from beyond the arc to cut the Redhawks advantage to 15 (49-34) with 9:20 left to play and to conclude a 5-0 Tiger run.
SEMO then regrew their edge to 22 (63-41) with a jumper from Saine at the 2:44 mark.
The Redhawks outrebounded TSU, 40-38, and converted 26 points off Tiger turnovers.
SEMO was 13-for-19 (68.4 percent) on free throws.
Taylor Roberts and Andreana Wrister paced Tennessee State with 13 points each. Jaden Wrightsell chipped in eight rebounds with 12 points. TSU went 17-of-55 from the field (30.9 percent) and 8-of-11 from the charity stripe (72.7 percent).
The Redhawks next host Murray State on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Show Me Center. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m., CT.