MOREHEAD, Ky. - Deanay Watson led four Redhawks in double-digits scoring as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (6-21, 2-14 OVC) defeated Morehead State (1-25, 0-16 OVC), 70-62, Saturday afternoon at the Johnson Center.
 
Watson paced SEMO with her sixth double-double of the campaign, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The senior from Bradenton, Florida, shot 7-for-14 from the field including 2-for-2 on three-pointers. 
 
Johné Stewart added a career-best 12 points in a team-best 34 minutes. The Jacksonville transfer from Memphis, Tennessee, shot 6-for-12 with five boards and four assists in her fifth career start as a Redhawk. 
 
Kennedi Watkins chipped in 11 points while Jaliyah Green had 10 followed by Taelour Pruitt (nine points, four assists and four steals) and Kori Tomlin (seven points).
 
With the win, SEMO secured the 2021-22 season series against Morehead State. 
 
SEMO and Morehead State were tied 26-26 at halftime after identical first (16-16) and second quarters (10-10).
 
The Redhawks outscored the Eagles, 25-16, in the third quarter shooting at a rate of 64 percent. SEMO shot 54.5 percent in the second half and 44 percent in the fourth frame. 
 
The Redhawks distanced themselves from the Eagles, 41-32, after a 9-0 run. Green registered a triple to make the advantage 37-32 with 5:56 left in the third quarter.
 
Back-to-back baskets from Stewart and Green pushed the margin to 41-32 at 4:47 in the frame. 
 
SEMO took its largest lead of the day, 49-36, with 1:36 to go in the third quarter. Tomlin nailed a triple before a three-point play from Pruitt. 
 
Tomlin was 2-for-4 from distance Saturday with three rebounds, an assist and a steal. 
 
Morehead State then cut the Redhawks lead to 53-51 at 6:17 in the fourth quarter after a 9-2 run to open the stanza.
 
Tomlin added another trey with 5:21 in the fourth to regrow the advantage to 58-53. 
 
Stewart then tallied consecutive baskets to extend the lead to 62-54 with 3:59 remaining in regulation. 
 
Watson hit her second basket from beyond the arc Saturday before a layup to make the score 67-56 at 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
 
Morehead State took an early 3-0 lead after a three-pointer by Terri Smith at 7:55 in the opening quarter. 
 
Watkins then notched a lay-up followed by a pair of free throws to provide SEMO a slight 4-3 edge. 
 
The Eagles then went on an 8-0 run to pull ahead 11-4. 
 
Watson knocked down from three-point range to cut the edge to 11-7 with 3:39 left in the first quarter. She led the Redhawks with seven points in the opening quarter Saturday. 
 
SEMO closed out the opening quarter on a 9-0 rally to even the game at 16-16 heading to the second quarter. Green hit a triple at 1:14 in the quarter to make it a four-point game. Pruitt then converted her pair of free throws before a lay-up from Watson. 
 
The Eagles then grew their advantage to 22-18 after a 6-0 run with 6:51 left in the first half. 
 
Michaela Mayfield crashed the offensive glass to setup her put back bucket to trim the edge to 22-21 at 5:51 in the second quarter. 
 
Green then tallied a jumper to switch the lead to SEMO, 23-22, with 3:02 left in the opening half. 
 
Julan McDonald made a lay-up before Watkins split her pair of free throws to tie the game at 26-26 after 20 minutes of play. 
 
Morehead State outshot SEMO slightly 46.3 percent to 45.6 percent and had a 33-32 edge in rebounds. 
 
The Redhawks converted 40 percent (6-for-15) from three-point range including 67 percent in the first quarter. 
 
SEMO was also 71 percent at the charity stripe and outscored Morehead State in the paint, 36-28. 
 
Jada Claude had a game-high 19 points to lead four Eagles in double-figures scoring. McDonald had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Alana Denson had 11 points. Former Redhawk Terri Smith finished with 10 points, shooting 4-for-11 and 2-for-9 on three-pointers with three rebounds. 
 
With the win, SEMO halted its losing streak at six games with its second Ohio Valley Conference win in 2021-22. 

Saturday was Morehead State's 23rd straight loss in 2021-22.
 
SEMO next returns home to the Show Me Center to conclude the 2021-22 regular season. The Redhawks host UT Martin Thursday, Feb. 24 in SEMO's annual Pink Game to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. SEMO then takes on Murray State Saturday, Feb. 26 for Senior Day. Game times are set for 5 p.m., CT and 2 p.m., respectively. 
 
The Redhawks will recognize seniors Taelour Pruitt, Deanay Watson and Johné Stewart on Senior Day, Saturday, Feb. 26.