Game #18 | OVC #7
Southeast Missouri (4-13, 0-6 OVC)
vs. Tennessee State (9-7, 4-1 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Thursday, Jan. 20, 2021
Tip-off: 5 p.m., CT 
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.          
Arena: Show Me Center
Series: SEMO leads 27-23
Last Meeting: 83-64 TSU Win | Gentry Center | Nashville, Tenn. | Jan. 8, 2022
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (99-97, Seventh Season); Ty Evans (9-29, Second Season at TSU)
Video: ESPN+
Radio: SEMOESPN (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets

Game #19 | OVC #8
Southeast Missouri (4-14, 0-7 OVC)
at Eastern Illinois (7-9, 2-3 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Jan. 22, 2021
Tip-off: 1 p.m., CT 
Location: Charleston, Ill.
Arena: Lantz Arena
Series: SEMO leads 28-22
Last Meeting: 65-57 EIU Win | Lantz Arena | Charleston, Ill. | Feb. 25, 2021
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (99-98, Seventh Season); Matt Bollant (51-80, Fifth Season at EIU, 394-229, 20 Seasons)
Video: ESPN+
Radio: SEMOESPN (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats

Follow the Redhawks
Twitter: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Media Guide: Southeast Missouri
Game Notes: SEMO vs. TSU | SEMO at EIU
Tennessee State | Eastern Illinois
 
Redhawks Host Tennessee State Thursday Before Heading to Eastern Illinois Saturday
Southeast Missouri women's basketball (4-14, 0-7 OVC) continues its Ohio Valley Conference schedule this week when they host Tennessee State (10-7, 5-1 OVC) Thursday before traveling to Eastern Illinois (7-9, 2-3 OVC) Saturday. SEMO takes on Tennessee State Thursday at 5 p.m., CT at the Show Me Center to conclude the regular-season series between the two institutions. The Redhawks finish their week against EIU Saturday at the Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois. Tip is set for 1 p.m., CT.

Follow the Redhawks 
Fans can listen to Thursday and Saturday's games live on the radio at SEMOESPN with Erik Sean calling the action. The games will also be televised live on ESPN+. Follow the game on Twitter @OfficialSEMOWBB.
 
Series History 
Tennessee State
SEMO leads the all-time series with Tennessee State, 27-23. The Tigers won the initial meeting between the two schools this season, 83-64, Jan. 8, 2022 at the Gentry Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Deanay Watson registered a game-high 22 points with five rebounds. Watson shot 9-for-14 from the field for her second career 20-plus outing. Jaliyah Green and Kori Tomlin each finished with eight points. Green played in a career-best 34 minutes, shooting 3-for-8 including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.

Eastern Illinois
SEMO leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 28-22. The Panthers won both meetings during 2020-21 season including most recently, 65-57, Feb. 25, 2021 at Lantz Arena.
 
Terri Smith paced SEMO with a career-best 17 points, shooting 5-for-8 including 5-for-6 from 3-point distance. Sophie Bussard and Deanay Watson each chipped in 12 points while Roshala Scott and LaTrese Saine both tallied eight points. Scott added a personal-high seven assists.
 
EIU won the initial 2020-21 matchup, 51-49, Jan. 30, 2021 at the Show Me Center. Kira Arthofer hit a jumper with 16 seconds left in regulation to provide the Panthers the win. Tesia Thompson tallied a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. LaTrese Saine chipped in 10 boards to complement seven points and four blocks. Terri Smith posted a personal-best six boards.

Scouting the Opponents
Tennessee State
The Tigers are 9-7 overall and 4-1 in OVC play in 2021-22. TSU most recently lost to Murray State, 76-62, on Jan. 13 for the team's first lost in league competition. With the win over SEMO on Jan. 8, TSU extended its win streak to six and previously was undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference play.
 
The Tigers game against Morehead State on Jan. 15 was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. It was rescheduled for Jan. 31.
 
Sierra McCullough and Gia Adams secured OVC weekly awards as the duo took home Newcomer and Co-Freshman of the Week honors, respectively, as announced by the league office on Tuesday. McCullough nearly recorded a double-double with 11 points and eight boards in the game with Murray State. She shot 66.7 percent from the floor and went 3-for-4 from the line. McCullough also had two assists and two steals. Adams led Tennessee State with 22 points in the game with Murray State. She shot 50 percent from the floor, including hitting a trio of three-pointers. She also had one assist and one steal.

Eastern Illinois
Eastern Illinois has a 6-9 mark in 2021-22 and is 1-3 in OVC action. The Panthers won their OVC opener over Morehead State, 91-64, on Dec. 29, 2021 and have lost their last three games including Austin Peay (75-72, Jan. 15) and Murray State (80-71, Jan. 17) last week.
 
EIU and Murray State conclude the regular-season series Thursday in Murray, Kentucky, before the Panthers host SEMO Saturday.
 
Tennessee State Recap
Halle Smith registered a game-high 14 points and Kennedi Watkins almost had a double-double of 13 points and a career-best nine rebounds as SEMO (4-14, 0-7 OVC) fell to Tennessee State (10-7, 5-1 OVC), 68-53, Thursday evening at the Show Me Center. Watkins, a freshman from Ballwin, Missouri, registered double-digit points in her third straight game. She made her first start since Nov. 30, 2021 and appeared in a personal-high 32 minutes. Watkins shot 4-for-14 from the field. Smith finished 50 percent shooting and notched a personal-best three blocks. Michaela Mayfield tallied a career best nine points, going a personal-best 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. Jaliyah Green finished with eight points and five rebounds in a career-high 36 minutes. Taelour Pruitt passed out a team-high three assists with five points and a career-high six steals.SEMO notched a season-best 16 steals.

About Last Week
SEMO dropped its pair of games last week against Tennessee Tech (Jan. 13) and at SIUE (Jan. 15).
 
Jaliyah Green registered a career-best 16 points with five rebounds as SEMO fell to Tennessee Tech, 75-58, Jan. 13 at the Show Me Center. Kennedi Watkins added 10 points and three boards. Watson and Kori Tomlin each finished with seven points for SEMO. Halle Smith led the Redhawks with Green, grabbing five rebounds. Taelour Pruitt dished out a team-high five rebounds to go along with five points and two steals.
 
Taelour Pruitt registered 20 points, her second 20-point effort this season, as SEMO dropped a 73-66 loss to SIUE Jan. 15, 2022 at First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois. Kennedi Watkins matched a career-high 14 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds off the bench, while Deanay Watson contributed 17 points. SEMO let a 12-point lead get away.
 
TP Notches 20 Points for Second Time in 2021-22
Senior guard Taelour Pruitt paved the way for SEMO with 20 points, her second 20-point effort this season, Jan. 15 against SIUE. Pruitt shot 8-for-13 from the field including 3-for-6 on three-pointers. She also had three rebounds, four assists and two steals at SIUE.
 
Pruitt previously notched a season-high 21 points against Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 26, 2021, going 8-for-18 from the field and 3-for-9 on triples with seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in 37 minutes. 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 opened last week with five points and two rebounds with five assists and two steals against TTU on Jan. 13. She totaled nine assists and four steals over the week.
 
She ranks second in the OVC for three-point field goal attempts (94). She is also fifth in the league with 58 assists (3.4apg, sixth) and sixth for steals with 30.
 
In OVC only play, Pruitt is fourth for assists (4.2 apg, 25) and ranks eighth for steals (1.8spg, 11) and 10th for assist-turnover ratio of 1.0.
 
Pruitt has started the last six games in her return to the starting lineup after appearing in the first nine games as a starter. She has played in all 17 games in 2021-22, starting in 15. She is averaging 9.9 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 27.4 minutes. She is shooting .328 from the field.
 
Our Favorite Color Besides Red is Jaliyah Green
Jaliyah Green registered a career-best 16 points with five rebounds against Tennessee Tech Jan. 13 at the Show Me Center.
 
Green, a freshman from Wentzville, Missouri, shot 5-for-12 from the field and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the charity stripe in a career-best matching 34 minutes.
 
She added five points at SIUE on Jan. 15 with three assists.
 
Green has played in 13 games with 11 starts. She has started in the last four games after opening the 2021-22 campaign with seven starts before injury. She is averaging 7.5 points, 1.6 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 24.4 minutes.
 
Watkins is Wat's Up With That
Kennedi Watkins led the SEMO newcomers this past week with 24 points (12.0ppg) and nine rebounds (4.5rpg) against Tennessee Tech and SIUE this past week.
 
Watkins matched a career-high 14 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds off the bench Saturday at Jan. 15. Watkins shot 7-for-10 from the field in the road contest.

Watkins opened the week with 10 points and three boards against TTU on Jan. 13. She was 5-for-9 from the field against the Golden Eagles. Last week marked the first time Watkins registered double-digit point totals in consecutive games.
 
She previously notched 14 points against Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 26, 2021.
 
Watkins has played in 13 games and started in the first seven games of the 2021-22 season. She is averaging 6.8 points, and 4.5 rebounds in 20.2 minutes.
 
She ranks 10th in OVC games with 1.8 offensive rebounds (11).
 
First Career Start for Stewart
Johné Stewart made her first career start as a Redhawk on Jan. 13 against Tennessee Tech. Stewart finished with three points and three rebounds in 14 minutes of court time.
 
She then played in a career-best 33 minutes at SIUE on Jan. 15 to close the week.
 
Stewart, a transfer from Jacksonville, has played in 12 games this season. She is averaging 15.8 minutes of court time and 2.3 rebounds.
 
Redhawks Add Mid-Year Transfer Forward Julia Sion
SEMO head coach Rekha Patterson announced Jan. 10 the addition of mid-year transfer Julia Sion for the 2021-22 season. Sion, a 6-2 junior forward, will join the Redhawks this season after transferring from North Alabama. She will have two years of eligibility remaining and is not eligible this season after playing at UNA.
 
Good Show, Watson
Deanay Watson tallied 17 points in a career-best 40 minutes of action at SIUE on Jan. 15. Watson made 6-of-11 field goals and a near-perfect 5-of-6 free throws. She also had five rebounds and three steals.
 
Watson opened the week with seven points against Tennessee Tech on Jan. 13.
 
Watson, a senior from Bradenton, Florida, is the only Redhawk to start all 17 games this season. She has posted double-figure points in 12 games. Watson is averaging 11.2 points per game with 5.3 boards in 28.8 minutes. Watson is shooting 57 percent from the field and has registered 10 or more points in eight of the last 10 games.
 
In OVC play, Watson is averaging 14.3 points (10th). She is seventh for field goal percentage with .556 (35-63) and eighth for offensive rebounding (13, 2.2rpg).
 
Welcome Back Jaliyah Green and Kennedi Watkins
Freshmen Jaliyah Green and Kennedi Watkins both returned to the court for the Redhawks Dec. 30, 2021 and Jan. 1, 2022 at Murray State and against Austin Peay after missing the previous four games with injuries. Green posted six points off the bench at Murray State and finished the week with eight. Watkins finished with a career-high two blocks at Murray State and totaled six points over the week.
 
Green returned to the starting lineup Jan. 6-8 in Nashville, Tennessee. Green registered 18 points (9.0ppg) and three boards (1.5rpg). She opened the week with 10 points and two boards against Belmont on Jan. 6. Green was 4-for-9 on her birthday in her return to the starting five. She previously last started for the Redhawks on Nov. 30 against Southern Illinois. Green then posted eight points, going 3-for-8 from the field including 2-for-3 from distance at Tennessee State. Green also finished the week with two assists and a steal in 54 minutes of court time.

Watkins posted nine points and five rebounds, shooting 3-for-6 at Belmont on Jan. 6.
 
The freshman duo started the first seven games of the 2021-22 campaign.
    
Cracking the Top-10 All-Time
Taelour Pruitt ranks ninth overall in SEMO program history for career 3-pointers (96). She also is 11th for assists (269) and steals (137) and will look to break into the top-10 this season for both categories.
 
Pruitt most recently surpassed 700 career points (775) in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 9, 2021.
  
Smith in the Starting 5
Halle Smith, a freshman forward from Belle, Missouri, has started in the last 10 contests for the Redhawks.
 
Smith most recently posted 8 points (4ppg) and 10 rebounds (5rpg) this past week against Tennessee Tech and SIUE, Jan. 13 and 15.

Smith 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 17 games in 2021-22 and is averaging 7.5 points and 4.6 boards in 22.2 minutes. She is shooting 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc.
  
Tomlin in the Starting Five
Kori Tomlin, a junior transfer from Moberly Area Community College, made her first career start as a Redhawk Dec. 9 against Purdue Fort Wayne and has started in seven of the last eight games for SEMO. She finished with a career-best four steals, four assists and three points against the Mastodons.
 
She most recently had seven points against Tennessee Tech on Jan. 13.
 
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.
 
Tomlin made her second-straight start Dec. 19 at Xavier, finishing with eight points on a .419 clip with a career best four rebounds. 
 
Tomlin has played in all 17 games thus far this season and is averaging 4.0 points, 2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 23.1 minutes of court time. She is shooting 37 percent from the field and 35 percent from distance.
 
Tomlin ranks sixth on three-pointers with a percentage of .462 (6-13) in OVC only play.
 
Where We Rank in the OVC
SEMO ranks second as a team in the conference with 613 rebounds (36.06rpg). Deanay Watson leads the Redhawks with 90 (5.3rpg) followed by Halle Smith (79, 4.6rpg) and Roshala Scott (59, 4.2 rpg). Kennedi Watkins is averaging 4.5 (58) and Taelour Pruitt has 51 (3.0rpg).
 
The Redhawks are also third for blocked shots (47, 2.8 blocks/game, fifth) and third in the OVC for assists (229, 13.5apg, seventh). SEMO is fifth for field goal percentage (40.9 percent).
 
In OVC only play, SEMO is second with a three-point field goal percentage of .282 (29-for-103) and three-point field goal defense (.282).

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 99-97.
 
Non-Conference Recap
SEMO went 4-7 in its 2021-22 non-conference slate. The Redhawks picked up wins over the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (UHSP, 68-45, Nov. 9), Mississippi Valley State (82-76, Nov. 26), Harris-Stowe State (95-57, Dec. 5) and Purdue Fort Wayne (68-51, Dec. 9).

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.
      
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 played 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.
 
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 hosts Morehead State and SIUE Jan. 27 and 29, respectively, at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks take on Morehead State Thursday, Jan. 27 before facing SIUE Saturday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m.