CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Roshala Scott registered a career-best 25 points while Taelour Pruitt and Deanay Watson each added 10 as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (5-20, 1-13 OVC) dropped a 70-67 decision to Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorite and current leader, Belmont (16-7, 12-2 OVC) Saturday afternoon at the Show Me Center. 
 
Scott shot 8-for-12 from the field including 2-for-3 from distance with seven rebounds. The Earle, Arkansas, native was also 7-for-7 at the charity stripe. 
 
Trailing 36-24 at the break, SEMO fought back and trimmed the contest to a one-possession game down the stretch. 
 
The Redhawks outscored the Bruins, 43-34, in the second half including 23-17 in the third quarter. SEMO shot 50 percent in both the second and third periods and finished the game with a clip of 43 percent. 
 
Belmont opened the third quarter on a 6-2 run to increase their lead to 42-26, their largest lead of the day. 
 
SEMO responded with seven-straight points from Scott to cut the deficit to 42-33 with 6:54 left in the third quarter.
 
Pruitt added a lay-up to close the gap to 10 (45-35) at 5:47.
 
Jaliyah Green completed a good ole fashioned three-point play to trim the advantage to 49-45 at the 2:53 mark. 
 
Deanay Watson then made a bucket and converted a pair of free throws to bring SEMO within five (63-58) with 5:03 left in regulation. 
 
Pruitt added two more free throws before a basket by Diona Reed to bring the score to 65-62 at 2:21 in the fourth quarter. 
 
Destinee Wells then hit both her free throws to regrow the advantage to 67-62. 
 
SEMO would come as close as 67-65 with 59 seconds left to play. Reed chipped in a basket in the paint before Kennedi Watkins split her two free throws. 
 
The Redhawks then recorded a foul to send Wells to the charity stripe. Wells, the preseason OVC Player of the Year, hit both before Pruitt was fouled while shooting a triple.
 
At the line, Pruitt made two of three to cut the Belmont lead to 69-67 with 16 ticks on the clock. 
 
SEMO then couldn't get a shot up in the waning moments of regulation to seal the win for the Bruins, 70-67. 
 
The Redhawks took an early 5-2 lead after a trey by Scott at 8:47 in the first quarter. 
 
Belmont then pulled away, 12-5, after a 10-0 run and held a 15-9 advantage heading to the second period. 
 
Scott had seven of SEMO's nine points in the opening quarter.
 
A lay-up from Madison Bartley provided the Bruins a double-digit lead (28-15) with 4:38 remaining in the first half. Belmont would go to the break up 36-24. 
 
SEMO outshot the Bruins, 45 percent to 35 percent, Saturday.
 
Belmont was 22-for-25 at the charity stripe while SEMO had a clip of 77 percent. 
 
The Redhawks outscored the Bruins, 42-20, in the paint and 21-9 on second chance opportunities. SEMO also outrebounded Belmont, 33-27. 
 
Belmont cashed in 20 points off turnovers compared to 12 for SEMO.
 
Watson was 4-for-10 shooting with seven boards and three steals to complement 10 points. Pruitt was 3-for-7 from the field for 10 points with four rebounds and a steal. 
 
Watkins chipped in eight points and Reed had a personal-best seven in her second career start. 
 
Michaela Mayfield made her first career start as a Redhawk Saturday. 
 
Four Bruins finished in double-digits scoring, led by Wells. Well posted 18 points followed by Tuti Jones (16 and seven rebounds), Bartley (14) and Conley Chinn (12). 
 
SEMO next hits the road to face Tennessee Tech and Morehead State Feb. 17 and Feb. 19. The Redhawks face TTU Thursday, Feb. 17 in Cookeville, Tennessee, before continuing their trip to Morehead, Kentucky, to take on Morehead State Saturday, Feb. 19.