TAMPA, Fla. – Chris Harris scored 16 points and Phillip Russell added 11 and buried a huge pull up 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to lead Southeast Missouri (1-0) to a 64-61 season-opening win over South Florida (0-1) Monday night at the Yuengling Center.
 
Russell, after making two free throws 37 seconds earlier, knocked down his decisive three after USF pulled to within two to give SEMO a 63-58 lead, its largest of the night.
 
Ryan Conwell split two free throws and Tyler Harris scored following two missed free throws by Josh Earley to cut the Redhawks lead to 63-61 with four seconds to go.
 
After Harris split his two free throws for SEMO, Conwell's 3-pointer at the buzzer missed and SEMO celebrated its third-straight season-opening victory. The Redhawks improved to 3-0 in season-opening games under Head Coach Brad Korn and won three-consecutive season-openers away from home for the first time in program history.
 
In a game that featured eight ties and 15 lead changes, USF began the second half with a 7-0 run before SEMO used six free throws to get within a point. Kobe Clark's put back dunk regained a 41-40 edge right after that stretch with 9:35 on the clock.
 
The Bulls, however, quickly answered with a five-point swing to take a 45-41 lead. Keyshawn Bryant's 3-pointer ended that surge. 
 
Adam Larson's first career points, a 3-pointer, immediately closed the gap to 45-44 just ahead of a media timeout with 8:22 left to play.
 
Down, 51-50, SEMO and USF traded 3-pointers on three-straight possessions. 
 
Russell pulled up for a three and Keyshawn Bryant countered with a step back 3-pointer of his own. On the next possession, Harris knocked down a 3-pointer and Clark followed the next time SEMO had the ball to give the Redhawks a 58-54 cushion with 3:04 remaining.
 
Neither team led by more than four points in a close first half.
 
Aquan Smart buried a second chance 3-pointer and followed that up with a fast break layup to tie things up at 8-8 with 14:51 to play in the opening stanza.
 
Smart later knocked down another three to widen SEMO's lead to 16-12 at the 12:25 mark. 
 
Tevin Gowins scored his first career points on a 3-pointer from the right corner to put the Redhawks ahead, 26-23. 
 
After missing his first four shots of the game, Russell hit a 3-pointer to give SEMO another three-point advantage, this time at 30-27 with 2:14 remaining before both teams headed into the locker room deadlocked at 30-30.
 
Harris made four field goals, a pair of 3-pointers and hit a near-perfect 6-of-7 free throws to lead SEMO. He also had six rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes.
 
Russell, who scored eight of his points in the second half, had a game-high three 3-pointers, while Earley added nine points and eight rebounds. Clark and Smart followed with eight points apiece, and Clark had eight boards, as well.
 
SEMO held a +5 advantage (14-9) at the free throw line which held up big in the end. Additionally, the Redhawks outrebounded the Bulls, 39-38. 
 
Bryant was USF's top scorer with a game-high 19 points.
 
The Redhawks are 13-19 all-time in season-openers as a Division I program and beat USF for the first time in their program history. The Bulls held a 2-0 advantage in the series after the teams played a home-and-home series in 1994-95 and 1995-96.
 
SEMO returns to Cape Girardeau to host Lyon College in its home-opener on Nov. 12.