CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri (13-17, 8-9) gave #19 Murray State (28-2, 18-0) all it could handle in a heartbreaking 70-68 loss in front of a wild crowd of 2,934 Saturday at the Show Me Center.
 
SEMO led for over 30 minutes in the contest that was decided in the final 2:33 of play.
 
The Redhawks led, 62-50, with 6:38 to go when MSU mounted its comeback with a 15-2 run – that included a six-point swing -- as SEMO went over three minutes without a field goal. Justice Hill buried a second-chance 3-pointer to get the Racers within one before scoring the go-ahead basket on a fastbreak layup off a Redhawk turnover.
 
Down, 65-64, SEMO tied the game on a Nygal Russell free throw with just under two minutes remaining, but Hill came up big again, this time knocking down his second 3-pointer to put MSU ahead, 68-65, with 39 seconds on the clock.
 
On SEMO's next possession, the Redhawks turned the ball over and Hill was fouled. He went to the free throw line and split two shots as the Racers increased their lead to 69-65.
 
MSU later led 70-65 when Trae Hannibal made a free throw and Eric Reed, Jr. quickly answered with a 3-pointer to make it a two-point contest with seven seconds. 
 
After Hill was fouled, he missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and SEMO got the ball back for one final chance. Chris Harris' desperation 3-pointer went high off the backboard off the halfcourt inbounds pass.
 
SEMO put together a great first half, where it heated up to shoot 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the field and bury six of its 3-pointers.
 
Down, 17-12, the Redhawks went on an 18-2 run to grab a double-digit lead. Harris and Manny Patterson each drained a 3-pointer to help key the surge that ended on a second-chance layup by Sam Thompson that put SEMO ahead, 30-19, with 5:33 remaining in the first half.
 
Harris later made two free throws to give the Redhawks another 11-point advantage (32-21) before MSU outscored SEMO, 11-5, over the last 4:53 to get within five, 37-32, at the half.
 
Patterson, in his final game at the Show Me Center, scored all 12 of his points in the first half to set the tone for SEMO in the opening stanza.
 
Patterson ended up with a double-double, the second of his career. He added 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
 
Phillip Russell followed with 10 points and Harris dished out eight assists.

SEMO shot 50 percent (26-of-52) for the game and made 10 threes (10-of-25) at a 40 percent clip.
 
KJ Williams led the Racers with 23 points, including 14 in the second half. Hannibal contributed 20 points off the bench, Tevin Brown chipped in 15 and Hill pitched in 11.
 
MSU became only the sixth team in league history to run the table in Ohio Valley Conference play.
 
SEMO locked up the No. 4 seed in next weeks OVC Tournament following Tennessee State's loss to Belmont today. The Redhawks will face the winner of No. 5 TSU and No. 8 SIU Edwardsville on Thursday, Mar. 3. Tip-off is 6:30 p.m., CT at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
 
The Redhawks claimed their highest OVC Tournament seed in 22 years.
 
No. 1 MSU, No. 2 Belmont, No. 3 Morehead State, No. 6 Austin Peay and No. 7 Tennessee Tech complete this year's eight-team field.