MURRAY, Ky. – Roshala Scott dropped in a career-best tying 22 points while Tesia Thompson (21) and Sophie Bussard (14) combined for 35 points as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (12-8, 10-5 OVC) dropped a road decision to Murray State (11-9, 8-7 OVC), 81-79, Friday afternoon at the CFSB Center.
 
Scott converted 10-for-14 from the field, including 2-for-5 from 3-point range while compiling five rebounds and three assists. Thompson chipped in a team-high 11 boards for her third straight double-double outing and had four assists.
 
Bussard was 5-for-9 on field goals and 3-for-4 from the charity stripe.
 
LaTrese Saine finished with 10 rebounds and two blocks.
 
The Racers jumped out to a 28-15 advantage through the opening 10 minutes in a game that they lead for 35:27. Murray State shot 56 percent in the opening quarter and added a rate of 50 percent in the second frame to extend their lead to 47-34.
 
The Racers grew their margin to 21, its largest of the afternoon with 7:40 remaining in the third quarter. Murray State commenced the third quarter with an 8-0 scoring run that featured a Lex Mayes three-point play that swelled the Racers lead to 55-34.
 
Scott hit a 3-pointer to cut the SEMO deficit to 64-51 with 1:49 left in the quarter.
 
Thompson then completed a three-point play to decrease the Racer advantage to single-digits (67-59) at the 8:02 mark in the fourth quarter.
 
The Redhawks clawed within two after an 8-0 run. Pruitt hit both her free throw attempts to start the rally that concluded with a Saine jumper to make the score line, 75-73.
 
The Racers regrew their margin to six (79-73) after two successful trips to the charity stripe by Bria Sanders-Woods and Hannah McKay.
 
Taelour Pruitt then sunk a 3-pointer with two ticks remaining in regulation to finish the game at 81-79.
 
Pruitt led SEMO off the bench with eight points, her highest output since returning from injury on Feb. 6 against Jacksonville State.
 
Michaela Mayfield added a personal-high six points. The freshman from Gurdon, Arkansas, was 3-for-5 from the field with four rebounds in 14 minutes of court time.
 
SEMO completed the game with a shooting percentage of 44 percent behind a 57 percent second quarter. The Redhawks also registered a clip of 47 percent in the third quarter. 
 
SEMO was 25 percent from beyond the arc in the game and netted 50 percent of their attempts in the third quarter.
 
The Redhawks were 82 percent on free throws including a perfect 2-for-2 in the second and 89 percent in the final quarter. Murray State finished 86 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Rebounds were knotted up at 39-39. The Racers committed eight turnovers compared to SEMO's 10. Both teams finished with five steals apiece.
 
SEMO benefitted from 21-second chance points.
 
Murray State finished with four scorers in double-digits. Macey Turley led the Racers with 28 followed by Hannah McKay (13), Mayes (12) and Katelyn Young (10). Laci Hawthorne registered a game-high 13 rebounds.
 
Friday's game was originally scheduled for Thursday but was postponed due to winter storm Shirley, which had blanketed the area in a layer of sleet and ice.
 
SEMO closes out its three-game road swing Saturday at Austin Peay. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m., CT at the Winfield Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tennessee.