COLUMBIA, Mo. – Kennedi Watkins finished with 12 points and Rahmena Henderson added 11 points as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (1-2) fell to in-state rival Missouri (3-0), 62-50, Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena.
 
Watkins shot 6-for-11 from the field to go with four rebounds and a steal. She has now finished in double-digits in six-straight games dating back to the 2021-22 season. Henderson was 4-for-15 shooting for her third-consecutive game with 10 or more points, donning the SEMO Red and Black. 
 
The Tigers opened the contest with a 4-0 lead before the Redhawks answered with a 6-0 run to take a 12-10 lead with 1:51 left in the first quarter. 
 
Alecia Doyle, Henderson, and Halle Smith each had a bucket during the sequence for the SEMO advantage. 
 
Missouri held a 14-12 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter before growing their margin to 29-22.
 
Diona Reed registered a pair of baskets to cut the deficit to 23-20 at 3:11 in the second. She had six points in just over three minutes during the second stanza and added two boards Sunday. 
 
Henderson then converted a triple with 27 ticks left in the half to bring the Mizzou edge to 29-25. 
 
The junior from Neptune, New Jersey, had seven points at the break on a 3-for-9 clip. 
 
Out of the break, Watkins hit three-straight baskets to commence the third quarter to pull the Redhawks ahead 31-29 at the 8:06 mark. 
 
Watkins, a Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Selection, shot 5-for-7 for 10 points in the third quarter with four rebounds. 
 
Jaliyah Green then buried a trey to make the SEMO lead 36-34 before the home team went up 39-36 with 2:35 remaining in the third. 
 
Green totaled five points with four rebounds, two steals and a block Sunday. 
 
Doyle converted her two free throws to bring the Tigers lead to one (39-38) as Missouri would head to the final 10 minutes leading 46-42. 
 
Mizzou would then distance itself from the Redhawks, 56-42, after a 12-0 run. 
 
SEMO responded with a 6-0 rally to cut the lead to 58-50 after a jumper by Sophie Bussard with 1:51 remaining in regulation. 
 
Bussard made her first start of the 2022-23 campaign, finishing with four points, a rebound and an assist in a team-high 32 minutes. 
 
SEMO shot 36 percent from the field Sunday but concluded the game 3-for-13 in the fourth quarter. Mizzou in comparison finished with a rate of 43 percent including a 60 percent clip in the final stanza. 
 
The Redhawks were a perfect 10-for-10 on free throws Sunday.
 
Doyle finished with six points including 2-for-3 from the field. 
 
Kiyley Flowers led SEMO with a career-high (at SEMO) eight rebounds, five steals, and a trio of assists in 25 minutes. 
 
Kori Tomlin grabbed three steals with two points and two assists. 
 
SEMO forced the Tigers to commit 23 turnovers Sunday after forcing 21 at Ole Miss this past Thursday. 
 
Both teams struggled from three-point range, combining for 4-for-23. 
 
Four Tigers had double-digits scoring led by Hayley Frank (13 points, 6-for-14). Haley Troup had nine rebounds with four points. 
 
SEMO will next return to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to host LeMoyne-Owen College Friday, Nov. 18 at the Show Me Center. First tip is set for 6:30 p.m., CT.