Game #28 | OVC #17
UT Martin (11-16, 8-8 OVC)
vs. Southeast Missouri (6-21, 2-14 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022
Tip-off:  5 p.m., CT 
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.  
Arena: Show Me Center
Series: UT Martin leads SEMO, 42-30
Last Meeting: 70-66 UTM Win | Feb. 3, 2022 | Kathleen and Tom Elam Center | Martin, Tenn. 
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (101-105, Seventh Season); Kevin McMillan (251-158, 13th Season at UTM)
Video: ESPN+ 
Radio: SEMOESPN (Erik Sean)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast 
 
Game #29 | OVC #18
Murray State (20-7, 12-4 OVC)
vs. Southeast Missouri (6-21, 2-14 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Tip-off: 2 p.m., CT 
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.  
Arena: Show Me Center
Series: SEMO leads Murray State, 36-32
Last Meeting: 82-58 Murray State Win | Dec. 30, 2021 | CFSB Center | Murray, Ky. 
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (101-105, Seventh Season); Rechelle Turner (74-70, Fifth Season at Murray State)
Video: ESPN+ 
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Rusty Hendricks)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Follow the Redhawks
Twitter: @OfficialSEMOWBB
Media Guide: Southeast Missouri
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri
UT Martin 
 
Redhawks to Host UT Martin Thursday and Murray State Saturday to Conclude 2021-22 Campaign
Southeast Missouri women's basketball (6-21, 2-14 OVC) concludes its 2021-22 campaign when it hosts UT Martin (11-16, 8-8 OVC) Thursday and Murray State (20-7, 12-4 OVC) Saturday this week at the Show Me Center. 
 
The Redhawks take on UT Martin Thursday in SEMO's Play4Kay Pink Game to beat cancer. 
 
SEMO then faces Murray State Saturday for Honoring the Graduates Day. The Redhawks will recognize seniors Taelour Pruitt, Deanay Watson and Johné Stewart for Honoring the Graduates Day Saturday. 
 
Game times are set for 5 p.m., CT and 2 p.m., respectively, Thursday and Saturday at the Show Me Center. 

Follow the Redhawks 
Fans can listen to Thursday and Saturday's games live on the radio at SEMOESPN (Thursday) and Real Rock 99.3 FM (Saturday) with Erik Sean and Rusty Hendricks calling the action. The games will also be televised live on ESPN+. Follow the game on Twitter @OfficialSEMOWBB.
 
Series History 
UT Martin  
UT Martin leads SEMO in the all-time series, 42-30. UTM won both contests during the 2020-21 season and the initial 2021-22 matchup. 
 
The Skyhawks won the most recent meeting, 70-66, Feb. 3, 2022, in Martin, Tennessee at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Taelour Pruitt notched 16 points and Deanay Watson had a double-double outing of 15 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Pruitt shot 4-for-8 from the field including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc with five rebounds and four steals Thursday. She was also 4-for-6 at the charity stripe. Watson converted 6-for-11 in a game-high 35 minutes for her fourth double-double of the 2021-22 campaign.
 
Pruitt and Watson combined for 18 points (11 and seven, respectively) in the third quarter to set the table for the decisive final period. Pruitt was 3-for-4 on three-pointers while Watson was a perfect 3-for-3 shooting during the quarter. With the game tied at 50-50, UTM outscored SEMO, 20-16, in the final quarter Thursday to seal the Skyhawks win.
 
Murray State 
SEMO leads Murray State in the all-time series, 36-32. The Racers won two of the three matchups with the Redhawks during the 2020-21 season.
 
Murray State most recently won the initial 2021-22 matchup, 82-58, Dec. 30, 2021, at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. Deanay Watson posted 14 points and Roshala Scott added 12. Watson shot 7-for-13 from the field and grabbed eight boards with a steal. Scott converted 6-for-11 on baskets.

Halle Smith added eight points, shooting 2-for-2 from the field and 1-for-1 on triples.

Scouting the Opponents
UT Martin  
The Skyhawks most recently went 2-1 in their contests last week in Martin, Tennessee. UT Martin is 11-16 in 2021-22 and 8-8 in league play. 
 
UTM picked up its fourth straight victory after holding visiting OVC foe Morehead State to under 30 percent from the field and 29 turnovers in a 54-36 victory on Feb. 16. Shae Littleford scored a career-high 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor while knocking down 4-of-5 three-point attempts. The Skyhawks also beat Austin Peay, 60-57, on Feb. 14 to open the week. 
 
UTM then dropped the season series to Murray State following a 69-56 setback Feb. 19 on Senior Day. 
 
Littleford averaged 12.3 points while shooting 47.8 percent from the field in the team's three contests. Littleford tallied seven points, three assists and one steal in the win over Austin Peay while setting a new career-high with 21 points, two assists and two steals against Morehead State. In the team's final home game against Murray State, she tossed in nine points, three rebounds and two assists.
 
UTM will close the regular season at Tennessee Tech Saturday. 
 
Newsome Faces Alma Mater UTM Thursday
Redhawk assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jasmine Newsome will face her alma mater, UT Martin, Thursday for the second time this season as an opposing coach. 
 
Newsome helped lead the Skyhawks to four OVC Tournament titles and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. She holds a multitude of UTM records and inducted into the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019 while having her jersey hung in the rafters of the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center on Feb. 8, 2020.
 
Prior to joining Rekha Patterson's staff at SEMO, Newsome served as an assistant coach on the UT Martin women's basketball staff for six seasons. In her coaching stint with the Skyhawk, Newsome has seen the program win three OVC regular season titles during the 2015-16, 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons along with four of the program's 20-win seasons. The Skyhawks also qualified for the postseason four times with berths in the Women's NIT in 2016, 2018, 2020 (canceled) and 2021.

Murray State 
Murray State is 20-7 in 2021-22 and 12-4 in OVC play. The Racers have won their last five including most recently against Austin Peay (68-61, OT, Feb. 16) and at UT Martin (69-56, Feb. 19).
 
Katelyn Young powered Murray State to two wins on the week by averaging 26.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for OVC Player of the Week honors. The sophomore tied her career-high of 31 points in an overtime win over Austin Peay, which she followed with a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds at UT Martin. Young shot 51.4 percent from the floor and 85.7-percent from the line on the week, by going 12-for-14 from the stripe on Wednesday and 4-4 Saturday. The Oakwood, Illinois native ended the week by averaging 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks.

About Last Week
SEMO most recently split its final two regular-season road games. 
 
Taelour Pruitt registered a game-high 23 points with four rebounds as SEMO dropped a competitive road contest to Tennessee Tech, 65-55, Feb. 17 at the Eblen Center in Cookeville, Tennessee. Pruitt, a senior from Crowley, Texas, notched her seventh career 20-plus game as a Redhawk (third in 2021-22), shooting 9-for-21 from the field including a pair of triples (2-for-7) in a game-high 37 minutes.
 
Deanay Watson led four Redhawks in double-digits scoring as SEMO defeated Morehead State, 70-62, Feb. 19 at the Johnson Center in Morehead, Kentucky. 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).
 
TP Heating Up
Taelour Pruitt has registered double-figures scoring in six of the last eight games to lead SEMO on the stats sheet in six of the last 10 games.
 
Pruitt paced the Redhawks this past week with 32 points (16.0ppg) and six boards (16.0rpg) as SEMO split its final 2021-22 regular-season road trip. Pruitt registered a game-high 23 points with four rebounds as SEMO dropped a competitive road contest to Tennessee Tech, 65-55, Feb. 17 evening at the Eblen Center. 
 
Pruitt, a senior from Crowley, Texas, notched her seventh career 20-plus game as a Redhawk (third in 2021-22), shooting 9-for-21 from the field including a pair of triples (2-for-7) in a game-high 37 minutes.
 
She then added nine points, four assists and four steals in the Redhawks win at Morehead State Feb. 19. Pruitt was 5-for-5 at the charity stripe at Morehead State.
 
Pruitt has started in the last 16 games for the Redhawks. She has played in all 27 games, averaging 10.5 points with 2.7 boards in 28.8 minutes. Pruitt is shooting 34 percent from the field. 
 
The Daily Show with Johné Stewart 
Johné Stewart paced the Redhawks newcomers this past week with 20 points (10.0ppg) and six rebounds (3.00rpg) as SEMO split its final 2021-22 regular-season road trip.
 
Stewart notched a career-best 12 points in a team-high 34 minutes at Morehead State Feb. 19. The Jacksonville transfer from Memphis, Tennessee, shot 6-for-12 with five boards and four assists in her fifth career start as a Redhawk. 
 
Stewart opened the week with eight points, shooting 4-for-5 at TTU on Feb. 17 with three assists.
 
She has passed out a career-best six assists twice in 2021-22. Stewart had six assists with four points at UT Martin on Feb. 3. She tallied a career best six rebounds and six assists in her third career start as a Redhawk Jan. 29, 2022, against SIUE. 
 
She made her first career start as a Redhawk on Jan. 13 against Tennessee Tech. Stewart finished with three points and three rebounds in 14 minutes of court time. She closed the week with 33 minutes at SIUE on Jan. 15.
 
Stewart, a transfer from Jacksonville, has played in 22 games this season with five starts. She is averaging 18.4 minutes of court time with 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
 
Watkins is Wat's Up With That
Kennedi Watkins registered 18 points (9.0ppg) and 10 rebounds (5.0rpg) this past week as SEMO split its final 2021-22 regular-season road trip. Watkins chipped in 11 points with three rebounds at Morehead State on Feb. 19. She opened the week with seven points and seven boards at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 17.

She has notched double digits scoring in eight of the last 12 games. 
 
Watkins tied a career-best 14 points for the third time this season, producing the feat against SIUE on Jan. 29. She previously notched 14 points at SIUE (Jan. 15) and against Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 26, 2021).
 
Watkins has played in 23 games and started in the first seven games of the 2021-22 season. Watkins has started 12 games this season. She is averaging 8.1 points, and 5.6 rebounds in 22.0 minutes.
 
She ranks third in OVC games with 2.6 offensive rebounds (41). Watkins is averaging 8.6 points per game in OVC play with 5.4 rebounds per game (15th, 86).

Good Show, Watson
Deanay Watson has posted double-figures scoring in seven of SEMO's last eight games. She has notched a double-double in four of those games during that span. 
 
She most recently paced SEMO with her sixth double-double of the campaign, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds at Morehead State on Feb. 19. The senior from Bradenton, Florida, shot 7-for-14 from the field including 2-for-2 on three-pointers. 
 
She opened the week with five points and four rebounds at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 17. 
 
Watson, a senior from Bradenton, Florida, has started in all but two games (25 starts in 27 games) for the Redhawks in 2021-22. She has posted double-figure points in 19 games. Watson is averaging 11.2 points per game with 5.9 boards in 29.6 minutes. Watson is shooting 52 percent from the field and has registered 10 or more points in 15 of the last 20 games.
 
In OVC play, Watson is averaging 12.3 points (16th) with 6.0 rebounds (seventh) in 31.1 minutes (497 minutes, 14th). She is shooting .494 (80-162) and is fourth for offensive rebounding (38, 2.4/game).
 
Our Favorite Color Besides Red is Jaliyah Green
Jaliyah Green finished with 10 points, as one of four Redhawks to turn in a double-digit scoring performance Feb. 19 at Morehead State.
 
Green was 4-for-8 from the field shooting with a pair of rebounds. She also dished out three assists and a steal. 
 
It marked Green's first double-digit scoring outing since a career-high 16 against Tennessee Tech on Jan. 13. 
 
Green has started the last three games and made 18 starts in 2021-22. She has competed in 22 games and started the first seven. Green is averaging 6.4 points with 3.3 boards in 25.2 minutes of court time. 
 
Pruitt Competes in 100th Career Game at SEMO
Taelour Pruitt played in her 100th career game as a Redhawk Feb. 10 at Austin Peay. The senior from Crowley, Texas, has made 70 starts and totaled 857 points in her career at SEMO.

Pruitt ranks seventh overall in SEMO program history for career 3-pointers (115). She also is ninth for steals (161) and 10th for assists (293).
  
She ranks eighth in OVC only play with 3.1 assists (50), fifth for steals (2.3spg, 36) and has an assist-turnover margin of 0.9 (9th). Pruitt is also ninth on three-pointers made with 23 (1.4 per game). She has appeared in 493 minutes (30.8 minutes per game, 17th) and is averaging 10.5 points per game (168 points, 24th).

Overall in 2021-22, Pruitt is third for three-pointers attempted (143) and fifth for steals (2.00spg, 54 steals).
 
First Career Starts as Redhawks
Michaela Mayfield made her first career start as a Redhawk Feb. 12 against Belmont. 

Chandler Davis and Diona Reed also both made their first career starts as Redhawks Feb. 5 against Eastern Illinois. Reed finished with four points, a personal best three rebounds and an assist in 13 minutes.
 
Davis appeared in 12 minutes Feb. 5 after finishing with a career-high eight points to pace the Redhawks non-starters at UT Martin on Feb. 3. She shot 3-for-4 from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 on treys against the Skyhawks. 
 
Davis made her second-straight start at Austin Peay on Feb. 10 while Reed has started in the last three games for SEMO. 
   
First OVC Win in 2021-22
Four Redhawks finished in double-digits scoring as SEMO registered its first Ohio Valley Conference victory of the 2021-22 season, 60-53, over Morehead State (1-17, 0-8 OVC) Jan. 27, 2022 at the Show Me Center.
  
Taelour Pruitt paced SEMO with 15 points while Watson and Kennedi Watkins each had 12 points. Watson finished with a double-double, adding 10 boards while Watkins pulled down nine rebounds. Roshala Scott chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds in her first start back from injury since Jan. 6 at Belmont.
  
Pruitt, Watkins and Scott each had four steals as the Redhawks totaled a season high 17. SEMO cashed in 26 points off Morehead State turnovers Thursday.

Pruitt shot 5-for-11 and 4-for-4 on free throws with two assists.
 
Watson appeared in a game-high 38 minutes, going 5-for-14 from the field. Watkins finished 5-for-13 shooting for her fifth-straight double-digit game.
 
Patterson Eclipses 100 Career Wins
Head coach Rekha Patterson eclipsed the 100-win mark in her career at the helm of Southeast Missouri with a 60-53 victory over Morehead State on Jan. 27, 2022. In seven seasons at SEMO, Patterson has registered a record of 101-105.

Tomlin From Downtown
Kori Tomlin registered nine points, three assists, two steals and a rebound, coming off the bench against SIUE on Jan. 29.
 
Tomlin, a junior transfer from Moberly Area Community College, shot a career-best 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and finished 3-for-5 shooting.
 
She most recently had seven points with three rebounds, shooting 2-for-4 from three-point range against Morehead State on Feb. 19. 
 
Tomlin made her first career start as a Redhawk Dec. 9 against Purdue Fort Wayne. She finished with a career-best four steals, four assists and three points against the Mastodons.
 
Tomlin posted a career-best 10 points in 24 minutes against Harris-Stowe State on Dec. 5. She was 3-for-9 shooting and 3-for-7 on triples with five assists and two steals.
 
Tomlin has played in all 27 games thus far this season with nine starts and is averaging 3.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.3 minutes of court time. She is shooting 34 percent from the field and 33 percent from distance.
  
Let's Go, Dream!!
Michaela Mayfield tallied a career best nine points, going a personal-best 7-for-8 at the charity stripe against Tennessee State on Jan. 20. Mayfield also finished with two boards, two assists and a steal in 16 minutes of court time.
 
Mayfield, a sophomore from Gurdon, Arkansas, has played in 26 games in 2021-22 for the Redhawks. She is averaging 2.0 points with 2.4 rebounds in 9.8 minutes of action. She most recently made her first career start against Belmont on Feb. 12. 
  
Where We Rank in the OVC
SEMO ranks third as a team in the conference with 940 rebounds (34.81rpg, sixth).

Deanay Watson leads the Redhawks with 158 (5.9rpg) followed by Kennedi Watkins (128, 5.6rpg).

Halle Smith has 107 (4.0rpg) and Jaliyah Green has notched 73 (3.3rpg).

SEMO is fifth for steals (230, 8.5 steals/game), fifth for blocked shots (74, 2.7 blocks/game) and fifth for free throw attempts (287-for-428).
  
In OVC only play, SEMO is sixth for offensive rebounds (11.3, 180), third for three-point field goal defense (.305) and seventh for offensive rebound percentage (.324) and sixth for steals (8.9, 143).
      
Redhawks Add Mid-Year Transfer Forward Julia Sion
SEMO head coach Rekha Patterson announced Jan. 10 the addition of mid-year transfer Julia Sion for the 2021-22 season. Sion, a 6-2 junior forward, will join the Redhawks this season after transferring from North Alabama. She will have two years of eligibility remaining and is not eligible this season after playing at UNA in 2021-22.
 
Non-Conference Recap
SEMO went 4-7 in its 2021-22 non-conference slate. The Redhawks picked up wins over the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (UHSP, 68-45, Nov. 9), Mississippi Valley State (82-76, Nov. 26), Harris-Stowe State (95-57, Dec. 5) and Purdue Fort Wayne (68-51, Dec. 9).

Career-High for Watson
Deanay Watson registered her first double-double outing of the 2021-22 campaign with a career-best 23 points, 11 rebounds with two steals and a block in 30 minutes of court time Dec. 5 against Harris-Stowe State. It was her second career double-double as a Redhawk.
 
Watson, a senior from Bradenton, Florida, was 9-for-12 from the field including 50 percent (1-for-2) from three-point range. She also was perfect 4-for-4 on free throws.
      
Redhawks Ink Alecia Doyle for 2022-23 Season
SEMO announced the signing of Alecia Doyle for the 2022-23 season Nov. 11. Doyle, a 5-8 guard from Herrin, Illinois, is a four-year starter and letter-winner and will graduate from Carterville High School in May 2022.
 
As a junior, she was named Southern Illinoisan Player of the Year, AP First Team All-State, Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State, Mississippi First Team All-Conference and SICA All-South Team. She averaged 20.1points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals per game.
 
First Win in 2021-22
SEMO captured its first victory of the 2021-22 campaign, 68-45, over the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (UHSP in St. Louis) (1-3) Nov. 9 at the Show Me Center.
 
Three Redhawks finished in double-figures including a team-high 14 points and four rebounds from Roshala Scott. Freshman Kennedi Watkins chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds in her first career start. Deanay Watson also finished with a career-best tying 12 points and five boards.
 
Shymaryia Christopher and Jaliyah Green also both made their first career collegiate starts in the victory. Christopher finished with eight points while Green had five. Halle Smith, Johné Stewart and Kori Tomlin also made their Redhawk debuts. Tomlin led all SEMO players with 25 minutes. Taelour Pruitt dished out a career-best matching seven assists to accompany eight points.
 
Exhibition Recap
SEMO defeated William Woods, 66-49, in exhibition play Nov. 1 at the Show Me Center.
 
Freshman Jaliyah Green led the Redhawks with 16 points to go with five rebounds and Deanay Watson chipped in 13 points hauling down eight rebounds. Roshala Scott added nine points and Shymaryia Christopher finished with seven.
  
OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri was selected to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2021-22. The Redhawks received 91 points in the projected order of finish.
 
Belmont, the 2020-21 OVC Tournament Champions, was selected to finish first with 15 first place votes and 159 total points in the preseason poll. Destinee Wells, the 2020-21 OVC Tournament MVP and Freshman of the Year from Belmont, was tabbed the 2021-22 OVC Preseason Player of the Year.

Team Makeup
The Redhawks return three starters from its 2020-21 team in seniors Taelour Pruitt and Deanay Watson along with juniorSophie Bussard.
 
Pruitt averaged just under 10 points (9.9, 159 points) per game in 2020-21. Bussard netted 8.8 points per contest (230 points) and paced the OVC with 931:15 minutes of court time, averaging 35.82 minutes per game.
 
Sophomores Michaela Mayfield, Chandler Davis and Shymaryia Christopher round out the returnees this season. Mayfield was the lone freshman from that group to play this previous year and saw time at forward.

The Redhawks also added eight newcomers in three transfers, four freshmen and a sophomore.
 
Johné Stewart brings NCAA Division I experience to the team while Kori Tomlin transferred in from Moberly Area Community College.
 
Freshmen Kennedi Watkins, Halle Smith, Jaliyah Green and Diona Reed complete the 2021-22 squad.
  
2020-21 Season Recap
SEMO finished with an overall record of 15-11 and posted a 13-7 conference mark in 2020-21. The Redhawks qualified for their sixth-straight OVC Tournament as the #3 seed this past season.
 
2020-21 All-OVC performers LaTrese Saine, the 2020-21 OVC Defensive Player of the Year, and Tesia Thompson graduated this past May.