CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Three Redhawks finished in double-figures scoring including a double-double performance from Kennedi Watkins as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (5-18, 1-11 OVC) fell to Eastern Illinois (12-10, 7-4 OVC), 72-53, Saturday afternoon at the Show Me Center.
 
Watkins compiled her second career double-double outing with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a career-best three blocks. She was 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 on free throws. 
 
Deanay Watson paced the Redhawks with 15 points, shooting 6-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-4 on free throws. Roshala Scott added 12 points and three steals, going 5-for-12 including 2-for-7 from distance. 
 
Eastern Illinois had a 34-28 lead at the break before outscoring the Redhawks 38-25 in the second half. 
 
The Panthers opened the third stanza on an 8-3 run and pushed their edge to 40-28 after a lay-up from Abby Wahl. 
 
Miah Monahan knocked down a three-pointer to increase the margin to 52-38.
 
SEMO concluded the third frame with six-straight points from Watson to trim the deficit to 52-44. 
 
Eastern Illinois outscored the Redhawks 20-9 in the fourth quarter and finalized the game with a 19-point advantage (72-53). The Panthers shot 9-for-14 in the fourth quarter. 
 
EIU jumped out to a 5-0 lead that SEMO quickly erased after five-straight points from Watkins. Watkins converted a three-point play to knot the score early. 
 
She then retied the game at 8-8 with another and-one situation before a jumper by Taris Thornton provided EIU a 14-9 lead. 
 
The Panthers held a slight 17-15 edge heading to the second stanza. 
 
Diona Reed made a pair of free throws to make it a 20-19 game at 8:17 in the second quarter.
 
The Panthers responded with a 7-0 run to push their edge to 27-19. 
 
Pruitt knocked down a trey to cut the advantage to 29-26 with 1:58 left in the opening half. 
 
Johné Stewart added a lay-up with 43 ticks to make the score 31-28. 
 
Jordyn Hughes hit a three-pointer to conclude the second quarter and bring the EIU halftime lead to 34-28.
 
EIU shot 45 percent Saturday while the Redhawks finished with a clip of 38 percent. SEMO was 50 percent shooting in the third quarter. 
 
SEMO was 83 percent at the charity stripe Saturday.
 
EIU outscored the Redhawks 40-26 in the paint.
 
Pruitt and Kori Tomlin each had four assists. Pruitt also had three steals to complement five points. 
 
Chandler Davis and Reed both made their first career starts as Redhawks Saturday. Reed finished with four points, a personal best three rebounds and an assist in 13 minutes
 
Lariah Washington led four Panthers in double-digits scoring Saturday with 15 points. Wahl added 14 followed by Hughes (13) and Litwiller (10).
 
With the loss, SEMO has dropped both meetings with Eastern Illinois in 2021-22. 
 
SEMO will next head to Austin Peay on Thursday, Feb. 10 before hosting Belmont, Saturday, Feb. 12. Tip is set for 5 p.m., CT at the Winfield Dunn Center Feb. 10 in Clarksville, Tennessee. SEMO then hosts Belmont Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Show Me Center.