EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Chris Harris scored 14 points to lead four players in double figures as Southeast Missouri (3-0) beat Evansville (1-2), 67-61, Wednesday night at the Ford Center.
 
SEMO won its third-straight game and is undefeated through its first three games of a season for the first time since 1999-2000.
 
Ahead, 11-9, SEMO went on a 15-3 run to get a double-digit lead.
 
Adam Larson found Earley for a layup and Harris drove the lane for a layup before Phillip Russell drained a 3-pointer for a quick seven-point swing to ignite the surge. Nate Johnson's basket stretched SEMO's lead to 26-12 with 6:07 remaining in the first half.
 
Tevin Gowins' 3-pointer gave the Redhawks their largest lead of the half at 32-17 with a little under three minutes to go before SEMO led, 36-23, at the intermission.
 
Josh Earley led all SEMO scorers with 11 points in the first half. UE shot just 26.1 percent (6-of-23) from the field and had more free throws (11) than it did field goals made in the game's opening 20 minutes.
 
The Redhawks withstood an early second-half run by the Purple Aces and finished strong down the stretch to pull away.
 
UE's 13-4 jaunt cut SEMO's lead to 40-36 and the Purple Aces later managed to get within a point on a 3-pointer by Blaise Beauchamp with a little over 11 minutes left.
 
SEMO, however, didn't relinquish its lead.
 
Following a media timeout, Kobe Clark made two free throws to give the Redhawks a 59-51 advantage at the 3:34 mark.
 
A fast break basket by Earley gave SEMO another eight-point lead (61-53) with 2:22 to go.
 
After Kenny Strawbridge made two of three free throws to make it a four-point game at 65-61 with 12 seconds on the clock, that was as close as UE would get.
 
Harris' two free throws in the final seconds buried the Purple Aces for good.
 
Harris shot 5-of-11 from the field and added six rebounds. Clark and Earley chipped in 13 points apiece, while Russell contributed 11. Clark also had six rebounds and a huge block in the final minute of the contest. 
 
SEMO shot 41.8 percent (23-of-55) from the field and held UE to just 13.6 percent (3-of-22) from 3-point range. Additionally, the Redhawks shot a near-perfect 15-of-16 free throws, while the Purple Aces missed 13 of their free throw attempts (18-of-31).
 
The Redhawks posted their first win over UE at the Ford Center, site of this year's Ohio Valley  Conference Tournament. Brad Korn picked up his third win against Missouri Valley Conference foes, as well.
 
SEMO travels to MVC member Bradley Saturday.