Game #11
Southeast Missouri (4-6, 0-0 OVC)
at Xavier (4-6, 0-2 BIG EAST)
Game Information
Date: Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021
Tip-off: 1 p.m., CT 
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Arena: Cintas Center
Series: Xavier leads SEMO, 1-0
Last Meeting: 54-48 Xavier Win | Nov. 18, 2016 | Cincinnati, Ohio
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (99-90, Seventh Season); Melanie Moore (12-43, Third Season)
Video: FLOSPORTS
Radio: SEMOESPN 
Live Stats: SIDEARM Live Stats

Follow the Redhawks
Twitter: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Media Guide: Southeast Missouri
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri

Redhawks Head to Cincinnati to Conclude Non-Conference Slate Sunday at Xavier
Southeast Missouri women's basketball (4-6, 0-0 OVC) treks to Cincinnati, Ohio, Sunday to face Xavier (4-6, 0-2 BIG EAST) in the Redhawks final non-conference matchup of the season. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m., CT at the Cintas Center.

Follow the Redhawks 
Fans can listen to Sunday's game live on the radio at SEMOESPN with Erik Sean calling the action. The game will also be televised live on FLOSPORTS. Follow the game on Twitter @OfficialSEMOWBB.
 
Series History 
Xavier leads SEMO, 1-0, in the all-time series between the two institutions.
 
The Musketeers won the initial meeting, 54-48, Nov. 18, 2016 in Cincinnati, Ohio. SEMO was led in scoring by Bri Mitchell with 11 points. Olivia Hackmann recorded 10 points and 11 rebounds. Mandy Madden worked a season-high 12 rebounds, 10 of which came in the first half of the contest. Madden also tied a season-high three blocked shots. Adrianna Murphy tallied five points, four rebounds, seven assists with no turnovers, and five steals in a team-high 34 minutes.
 
Scouting the Musketeers
Xavier is 4-6 in 2021-22 with an 0-2 BIG EAST record. The Musketeers most recently fell at Cincinnati, 82-73, Dec. 12 in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. Shaila Beeler scored a game-high and personal-best 23 points on 7-for-15 shooting.

Xavier opened the season with three-straight losses at Memphis, Utah and at home against Miami (Ohio). The Musketeers then posted three consecutive wins including over former Ohio Valley Conference institution, Eastern Kentucky, 73-60, on Nov. 27 before opening BIG EAST play.
 
Xavier was picked to finish 10th in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Musketeers finished the 2020-21 season with a 5-10 (2-8 BIG EAST) record.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne Recap 
SEMO outscored Purdue Fort Wayne, 42-25, in the second half to down the Mastodons, 68-51, Dec. 9 at the Show Me Center.
 
Taelour Pruitt led the Redhawks with 16 points while Halle Smith added 15 followed by Roshala Scott (14 points) and Deanay Watson (10 points and nine boards) in the victory.
 
Pruitt tallied 11 of her 16 points in the second half, shooting 3-for-6 and 4-for-4 at the charity stripe in the final 20 minutes.
 
SEMO and Purdue Fort Wayne went to the break knotted at 26-26. Both teams shot 30 percent from the field before the Redhawks dominating third quarter.
 
The Redhawks face Xavier after a 10-day layoff from competition and a four-game homestand.

About Last Week
SEMO enters its final non-conference meeting in 2021-22 on a two-game win streak after victories over Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 9, 68-51) and Harris-Stowe State (Dec. 5, 95-57).
 
Pruitt Ranks in the Top-10 in the OVC
Senior guard Taelour Pruitt ranks first in the OVC for three-point field goal attempts (63) and second for field goal attempts (120). She is also third in the league with 35 assists, averaging 3.5 per game (fifth in the OVC).
 
Pruitt most recently paced SEMO with 16 points in the Redhawks win over Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 9, coming off the bench. She shot 4-for-10 including 40 percent from three-point range with four assists and two rebounds. Pruitt was also perfect at the charity stripe (6-for-6).
 
Pruitt led the Redhawks offensively with a season-high 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in 37 minutes in SEMO's 82-76 victory over Mississippi Valley State to open Southern Mississippi's Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 26. Pruitt was 7-for-12 shooting from the field in the initial 20 minutes. She had 19 points at the break and surpassed 10 (11) after one quarter of action. Pruitt finished the game 8-for-18 from the field including 3-for-9 from distance and 2-for-2 on free throws.
 
Pruitt has played in all 10 games in 2021-22, starting in nine. She is averaging 10.4 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 25.8 minutes. She is shooting .303 from the field.
 
Cracking the Top-10 All-Time
Taelour Pruitt ranks 11th overall in SEMO program history for career 3-pointers (90), assists (246) and steals (123) and will look to break into the top-10 this season.
 
Pruitt most recently surpassed 700 career points (710) in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
Smith in the Starting 5
Halle Smith, a freshman forward from Belle, Missouri, has started in the last three contests for the Redhawks. She has tallied double-digit point games in each of the last two games.
 
She most recently notched 15 points with six rebounds in SEMO's 68-51 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 9. Smith shot 5-for-7 from the floor, including 2-for-2 on triples. She also was 75 percent at the free throw line and was SEMO's second-highest scorer in the non-conference win.
 
Smith registered a career-best 18 points Dec. 5 in the Redhawks win over Harris-Stowe State. Smith added a personal-best eight rebounds to complement her point total in 27 minutes. She shot 6-for-8 on field goals and 6-for-6 on free throws with two blocks in her second-straight start.
 
Smith made her first career start as a Redhawk against Saint Louis on Dec. 3, finishing with nine points and three boards.
 
She also registered consecutive 10-point games against Arkansas State (Nov. 22) and Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 26).
 
Smith has competed in all 10 games in 2021-22 and is averaging 8.4 points and 4.5 boards in 20.7 minutes. She is shooting just under 60 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Patterson About to Eclipse 100 Wins
Head coach Rekha Patterson is one win away from 100 in her career at the helm of Southeast Missouri. In seven seasons at SEMO, Patterson has registered a mark of 99-90.

Career-High for Watson
Deanay Watson registered her first double-double outing of the 2021-22 campaign with a career-best 23 points, 11 rebounds with two steals and a block in 30 minutes of court time Dec. 5 against Harris-Stowe State. It was her second career double-double as a Redhawk.
 
Watson, a senior from Bradenton, Florida, was 9-for-12 from the field including 50 percent (1-for-2) from three-point range. She also was perfect 4-for-4 on free throws.
 
Watson has registered 10 or more points in all three of SEMO's most recent games including 10 against Saint Louis (Dec. 3) and Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 9).
 
Watson is the only Redhawk to start in all 10 games this season. She has posted double-figure points in seven games. Watson is averaging 10.1 points per game with 5.2 boards in 26.5 minutes. Watson is shooting 60 percent from the field. 

Where We Rank in the OVC
SEMO ranks first as a team in the conference with 388 rebounds. Deanay Watson leads the Redhawks with 52 (5.2rpg) followed by Halle Smith and Roshala Scott who each have 45 (4.5 rpg). Kennedi Watkins is averaging 6.0 (42) and Michaela Mayfield has tallied 41 (4.1).
 
The Redhawks are also second in the OVC for assists (141), blocked shots (34, 3.4 blocks/game) and rebounds per game (38.80).
 
First Start for Tomlin
Kori Tomlin, a junior transfer from Moberly Area Community College, made her first career start as a Redhawk Dec. 9 against Purdue Fort Wayne. She finished with a career-best four steals, four assists and three points.
 
In the game prior, Tomlin posted a career-best 10 points in 24 minutes against Harris-Stowe State on Dec. 5. She was 3-for-9 shooting and 3-for-7 on triples with five assists and two steals.
 
In the last three games, Tomlin has dished out four or more assists including six against Saint Louis (Dec. 3).
 
Scott in the Starting Five
Roshala Scott has appeared in the Redhawks starting five each of the last six games. Scott has finished in double-digits scoring in six of the last seven games for SEMO.
 
She has compiled a season-high seven rebounds in each of the last two games with 14 points against Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 9) and 18 versus Harris-Stowe State (Dec.  5).
 
Scott leads SEMO this season with 12.3 points/game (123 points) in just over 25 minutes. She is shooting 42 percent from the field with 4.5 rebounds per game.
 
Nothing Shy about Christopher
Redshirt-freshman Shymaryia Christopher has returned to the Redhawks Starting 5 the past three games due to injuries within the SEMO program.
 
Christopher registered eight points against Saint Louis on Dec. 3, six in the victory over Harris-Stowe State on Dec. 5 and four most recently against Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 9.

Christopher led SEMO offensively with a career best 15 points with four rebounds in 24 minutes of action against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 27). The Magnolia, Arkansas, guard, shot 4-for-8 from the field and was 7-of-10 at the free throw line.
  
Christopher has started in seven games for SEMO and has played in all 10 in 2021-22. She started the first four games this season. She is averaging 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 17.9 minutes. Christopher is shooting 42 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.
     
Redhawks Ink Alecia Doyle for 2022-23 Season
SEMO announced the signing of Alecia Doyle for the 2022-23 season Nov. 11. Doyle, a 5-8 guard from Herrin, Illinois, is a four-year starter and letter-winner and will graduate from Carterville High School in May 2022.
 
As a junior, she was named Southern Illinoisan Player of the Year, AP First Team All-State, Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State, Mississippi First Team All-Conference and SICA All-South Team.  She averaged 20.1points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals per game.
 
First Win in 2021-22
SEMO captured its first victory of the 2021-22 campaign, 68-45, over the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (UHSP in St. Louis) (1-3) Nov. 9 at the Show Me Center.
 
Three Redhawks finished in double-figures including a team-high 14 points and four rebounds from Roshala Scott. Freshman Kennedi Watkins chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds in her first career start. Deanay Watson also finished with a career-best tying 12 points and five boards.
 
Shymaryia Christopher and Jaliyah Green also both made their first career collegiate starts in the victory. Christopher finished with eight points while Green had five. Halle Smith, Johné Stewart and Kori Tomlin also made their Redhawk debuts. Tomlin led all SEMO players with 25 minutes. Taelour Pruitt dished out a career-best matching seven assists to accompany eight points.
 
Exhibition Recap
SEMO defeated William Woods, 66-49, in exhibition play Nov. 1 at the Show Me Center.
 
Freshman Jaliyah Green led the Redhawks with 16 points to go with five rebounds and Deanay Watson chipped in 13 points hauling down eight rebounds. Roshala Scott added nine points and Shymaryia Christopher finished with seven.
  
OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri was selected to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2021-22. The Redhawks received 91 points in the projected order of finish.
 
Belmont, the 2020-21 OVC Tournament Champions, was selected to finish first with 15 first place votes and 159 total points in the preseason poll. Destinee Wells, the 2020-21 OVC Tournament MVP and Freshman of the Year from Belmont, was tabbed the 2021-22 OVC Preseason Player of the Year.
 
Team Makeup
The Redhawks return four starters from its 2020-21 team in seniors Taelour Pruitt and Deanay Watson along with juniors Roshala Scott and Sophie Bussard.
 
Scott was third on SEMO this past season with 10.2 points per game (265 points) and ranked fifth in the OVC in 2020-21 with 3.4 assists per game. Pruitt averaged just under 10 points (9.9, 159 points) per game in 2020-21. Bussard netted 8.8 points per contest (230 points) and paced the OVC with 931:15 minutes of court time, averaging 35.82 minutes per game.
 
Sophomores Michaela Mayfield, Chandler Davis and Shymaryia Christopher round out the returnees this season. Mayfield was the lone freshman from that group to play this previous year and saw time at forward.

The Redhawks also added eight newcomers in three transfers, four freshmen and a sophomore.
 
Johné Stewart brings NCAA Division I experience to the team while Kori Tomlin transferred in from Moberly Area Community College.
 
Freshmen Kennedi Watkins, Halle Smith, Jaliyah Green and Diona Reed complete the 2021-22 squad.
 
2021-22 Schedule
The Redhawks will play a 30-game schedule with 16 matchups at the Show Me Center during the 2021-22 season.
 
Southeast Missouri will play 11 non-conference games to commence the season.
 
The Redhawks 2021-22 schedule also includes 18 Ohio Valley Conference matchups, playing each conference institution twice. SEMO will open league play at Murray State after Christmas break on Dec. 30. The Redhawks then host Austin Peay on Jan. 1 to ring in 2022.
 
2020-21 Season Recap
SEMO finished with an overall record of 15-11 and posted a 13-7 conference mark in 2020-21. The Redhawks qualified for their sixth-straight OVC Tournament as the #3 seed this past season.
 
2020-21 All-OVC performers LaTrese Saine, the 2020-21 OVC Defensive Player of the Year, and Tesia Thompson graduated this past May.
 
Looking Ahead
SEMO next opens its 2021-22 OVC slate at Murray State on Thursday, Dec. 30. Tip is set for 5 p.m., CT at the CFSB Center. The Redhawks then return home and ring in 2022 against Austin Peay on Saturday, Jan. 1. First tip is 2 p.m. at the Show Me Center.