Game #14 | OVC #3
Southeast Missouri (4-9, 0-2 OVC)
at Belmont (6-5, 2-0 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2021
Tip-off: 5 p.m., CT 
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Curb Event Center
Series: Belmont leads SEMO, 12-6
Last Meeting: SEMO Win 70-66 | Feb. 9, 2021 | Nashville, Tenn.  
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (99-93, Seventh Season); Bart Brooks (106-31, Fifth Season at Belmont)
Video: ESPN+ (Dr. Rich Tiner, Jenny Roy, Emily Proud)
Radio: SEMOESPN (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
Game #15 | OVC #4
Southeast Missouri (4-10, 0-3 OVC)
at Tennessee State (8-6, 3-0 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Jan. 8, 2021
Tip-off: 12 p.m., CT 
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Gentry Center
Series: SEMO leads TSU, 27-22
Last Meeting: SEMO Win 64-45 | Jan. 9, 2021 | Nashville, Tenn.
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (99-94, Seventh Season); Ty Evans (8-28, Second Season at TSU)
Video: ESPN+
Radio: SEMOESPN (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats

Follow the Redhawks
Twitter: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Media Guide: Southeast Missouri
Game Notes: SEMO at Belmont | SEMO at TSU 
Tennessee State
 
Redhawks Head to the Music City to Face Belmont and Tennessee State in Second Week of OVC Slate
Southeast Missouri women's basketball (4-10, 0-3 OVC) treks to the Music City this week to take on Belmont (7-5, 3-0 OVC) Thursday and Tennessee State (8-6, 3-0 OVC) Saturday in the second week of Ohio Valley Conference play. SEMO opens its trip to Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday at Belmont. Tip is set for 5 p.m., CT at the Curb Event Center. The Redhawks then conclude the week at TSU Saturday at noon at the Gentry Center.

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 
Belmont
Belmont leads the all-time series with SEMO, 12-6. The Redhawks have won the last two meetings between the institutions.
 
SEMO most recently beat the Bruins, 70-66, Feb. 9, 2021 at the Curb Event Center. Roshala Scott and Tesia Thompson each finished with 15 points and LaTrese Saine poured in 12 in the Tuesday midweek game last season. 

Tennessee State
SEMO leads the all-time series with TSU, 27-22. The Redhawks have won the last four meetings between the two schools including both contests during the 2020-21 season.
 
SEMO most recently downed the Tigers, 65-45, Jan. 9, 2021, at the Gentry Center to complete the regular-season sweep of TSU.
 
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. 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.
 
SEMO also defeated TSU 84-50 on Jan. 2, 2021, in the initial meeting during the 2021-22 campaign, held at the Show Me Center.
 
Scouting the Opponents
Belmont
After a 15-day break, Belmont returned to action to pick up two wins last week, marking the fifth time the Bruins have started OVC play 2-0. The Bruins opened league play last week with wins at SIUE (87-49, Dec. 30, 2021) and at Eastern Illinois (71-57, Jan. 1, 2022). Belmont is 6-5 overall.
 
Belmont, the 2021 OVC Tournament Champions, was selected to finish first in the conference during the 2021-22 season. Belmont earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament where the Bruins defeated Gonzaga in the NCAA First Round becoming the first OVC team since 1991 to win an NCAA Tournament Game.
 
Belmont's Destinee Wells earned OVC Freshman of the Year honors. She was named the 2021-22 OVC Preseason Player of the Year, and was also selected to the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award preseason watch list.
 
Belmont is receiving votes in both the USA Today Sports/WBCA Top 25 poll and the AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Preseason poll. In last week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, Belmont was ranked 20th.

Tennessee State
Tennessee State also started OVC play with a 2-0 mark, registering wins over Tennessee Tech (96-93, OT, Dec. 30. 2021) and at Morehead State (58-34, Jan. 1, 2022). It marked the first time the Lady Tigers have begun league play undefeated since the 2014-15 season.
 
Tatyana Davis was named the OVC Newcomer of the Week Tuesday. Davis recorded 21.0 points per game last week. She had a career-high 25 points in the overtime victory over Tennessee Tech. Davis followed that with 17 points in a road win at Morehead State. She shot 64 percent from the field, 50 percent beyond the arch and 75 percent from the line.
 
Freshman Gia Adams nailed a half-court buzzer-beater to give TSU a 96-93 come-from-behind overtime victory over Tennessee Tech in its OVC opener at the Gentry Center Dec. 30, 2021.

Belmont Recap 
SEMO had three scorers in double-digits but it wasn't enough as they fell to Belmont, the Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorite, 85-65, Thursday night at the Curb Event Center. Shymaryia Christopher paced the Redhawks with 14 points; all scored in the second half. Deanay Watson and Jaliyah Green each added 10 points while Taelour Pruitt and Kennedi Watkins both finished with nine, respectively. Watson was a career-best 3-for-4 from three-point range and 3-for-7 shooting from the field. She appeared in a game-high 31 minutes, adding three boards. Christopher shot 5-for-7 including 5-for-6 in the second half. Green shot 4-for-9 Thursday in her return to the starting five on her birthday. She last started for the Redhawks on Nov. 30 against Southern Illinois. Pruitt and Watkins paced SEMO with five rebounds each. Pruitt divvied out a team best three assists and three steals. Kori Tomlin added seven points with two assists and two rebounds in her fifth-straight start. She shot 3-for-5 on field goals including 50 percent from beyond the arc.

OVC Opening Weekend Recap
SEMO dropped its first two OVC matchups of the 2021-22 season this past week.
 
Deanay Watson posted 14 points and Roshala Scott added 12 but it wasn't enough as SEMO fell to Murray State (9-3, 1-0 OVC), 82-58, in its Ohio Valley Conference opener Dec. 30, 2021 at the CFSB Center. Watson shot 7-for-13 from the field and grabbed eight boards with a steal. Scott converted 6-for-11 on baskets. Halle Smith added eight points. SEMO shot 41 percent from the field including .500 in the second quarter.
 
Deanay Watson registered a game-high 16 points and Roshala Scott added 12 as the Redhawks dropped a 72-62 decision to Austin Peay on New Year's Day 2022 (Jan. 1) at the Show Me Center. Watson was 7-for-11 from the field shooting with six boards in 32 minutes of action. She led the Redhawks in both Ohio Valley Conference games this past week. The Redhawks shot a season-high 42 percent (8-for-19) from three-point range.
 
Good Show, Watson
Deanay Watson paced the Redhawks in their first two OVC games of the 2021-22 campaign, totaling 30 points (15.0ppg) and 14 rebounds (7.0rpg) this past week. Watson opened the week with 14 points and eight rebounds, shooting 7-for-13 at Murray State on Dec. 30. She then posted 16 points and six boards in SEMO's OVC home opener against Austin Peay on Jan. 1. Watson was 7-for-11 from the field against the Governors. Watson also finished the week with one assist and two steals.
 
Watson is the only Redhawk to start in all 13 games this season. She has posted double-figure points in nine games. Watson is averaging 10.4 points per game with 5.8 boards in 27.8 minutes. Watson is shooting 59 percent from the field and has registered 10 or more points in five of the last six games.
 
In OVC play, Watson is averaging 15 points (ninth) and seven boards (10th). She is fifth for offensive rebounding with six (3.0rpg).
 
Welcome Back Jaliyah Green and Kennedi Watkins
Freshmen Jaliyah Green and Kennedi Watkins both returned to the court for the Redhawks this past week at Murray State (Dec. 30, 2021) and against Austin Peay (Jan. 1, 2022) 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 last week.
 
The duo started the first seven games of the 2021-22 campaign.
   
Pruitt Ranks in the Top-10 in the OVC
Senior guard Taelour Pruitt ranks second in the OVC for three-point field goal attempts (76). She is also seventh in the league with 3.3 assists per game.
 
In OVC only play, Pruitt is ninth for assists (3.5apg, seven), three-point field goal percentage (.429) and triples made (3, 1.5/game). She ranks eighth with an assist-turnover ratio of 1.4.
 
She most recently posted 15 points in the OVC opening weekend with nine at Murray State on Dec. 30, 2021. Pruitt started both OVC contests, returning to the starting five.
 
She was second on the Redhawk scoring; chipping in 11 with four rebounds and three steals at Xavier on Dec. 19, 2021. Pruitt shot 31 percent from the field in the non-conference finale. 
 
Pruitt paced SEMO with 16 points in the Redhawks' 68-51 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 also 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 13 games in 2021-22, starting in 11. She is averaging 10.0 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 26.3 minutes. She is shooting .306 from the field.
 
Cracking the Top-10 All-Time
Taelour Pruitt ranks ninth overall in SEMO program history for career 3-pointers (95). She also is 11th for assists (254) and steals (127) and will look to break into the top-10 this season for both categories.
 
Pruitt most recently surpassed 700 career points (736) in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 9, 2021.
 
Nothing Shy about Christopher
Redshirt-freshman Shymaryia Christopher has returned to the Redhawks Starting 5 the past six games due to injuries within the SEMO program.
 
Christopher totaled four points this past week at Murray State (Dec. 30, 2021) and against Austin Peay (Jan. 1, 2022).

She led SEMO with a career-best matching 15 points and five rebounds at Xavier on Dec. 19. Christopher shot 7-for-12 from the floor in the non-conference finale. 
 
Christopher previously paced 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 10 games for SEMO and has played in all 13 in 2021-22. She started the first four games this season. She is averaging 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in 18.0 minutes. Christopher is shooting 41 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.
 
Smith in the Starting 5
Halle Smith, a freshman forward from Belle, Missouri, has started in the last six contests for the Redhawks. She has tallied double-digit point games in two of those contests.
 
Smith registered 17 points (8.5ppg) and 11 rebounds (5.5rpg) in the Redhawks first two OVC games of the 2021-22 campaign. Smith opened the week with eight points at Murray State on Dec. 30, 2021. She was perfect 2-for-2 from the field and 1-for-1 from distance. Smith was also 3-for-4 at the charity stripe. She then concluded the week with nine points and a career-best nine rebounds against Austin Peay on Jan. 1, 2022. Smith shot 33 percent from the field against the Govs.
  
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 13 games in 2021-22 and is averaging 8.3 points and 4.9 boards in 21.9 minutes. She is shooting 53 percent from the field and 47 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 the last four games for SEMO. She finished with a career-best four steals, four assists and three points against the Mastodons.
 
Tomlin totaled 11 points in SEMO's OVC opening weekend including six against Austin Peay on Jan. 1, 2022.
 
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 13 games thus far this season and is averaging 3.5 points, 2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in just over 22 minutes of court time. She is shooting 30 percent from the field and 33 percent from distance.
 
Tomlin ranks sixth on three-pointers with a percentage of .500 and in OVC only play. She is also 10th in the conference with four steals (2.0 steals/game).
 
Scott off the Bench
Roshala Scott has been the Redhawks second-highest scorer the past two games. Scott came off the bench at Murray State (Dec. 30, 2021) and against Austin Peay (Jan. 1, 2022), finishing with 12 in both contests.
 
Scott shot 55 percent overall at Murray State. She then was 43 percent (3-for-7) from three-point range against Austin Peay.
  
She compiled a season-high seven rebounds with 14 points against Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec. 9) and 18 versus Harris-Stowe State (Dec.  5).
 
Scott leads SEMO this season with 12.0 points/game (156 points) in just over 25 minutes.
 
In the OVC, Scott ranks sixth with 154 field goal attempts. She is also seventh with an assist-turnover ratio of 1.41.
 
Scott has competed in all 13 games in 2021-22 and is averaging 12.0 points and 4.3 boards in 25.8 minutes. She is shooting 41 percent from the field. Scott has appeared in the Redhawks starting five in seven of the last nine games. Scott has finished in double-digits scoring in eight of the last 10 games for SEMO.
 
Where We Rank in the OVC
SEMO ranks second as a team in the conference with 495 rebounds (38.08rpg). Deanay Watson leads the Redhawks with 76 (5.8rpg) followed by Halle Smith (64, 4.9rpg) and Roshala Scott (56, 4.3 rpg). Kennedi Watkins is averaging 4.9 (44) and Michaela Mayfield has tallied 48 (3.7rpg).
 
The Redhawks are also third for blocked shots (42, 3.2 blocks/game) and fifth in the OVC for assists (180).
 
In OVC only play, SEMO is third with a three-point field goal percentage of .344 (11-for-32). The Redhawks are also fourth with 5.5 triples (11) per contest.

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 99-93.
 
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 returns home to Cape Girardeau to host Tennessee Tech Thursday, Jan. 13 at the Show Me Center. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m., CT. The Redhawks then close the week at SIUE on Saturday, Jan. 15.