Game #17
Southeast Missouri (6-10, 1-4 OVC)
vs. Morehead State (6-10, 2-3 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023
Tip-off: 12:00 p.m., CT. 
Location: Morehead, Ky.    
Arena: Johnson Arena
Series: SEMO leads 27-22
Last Meeting: SEMO won 70-62 | Feb. 19, 2022 | Morehead, Ky. 
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (107-117, Eighth Season at SEMO);
Cayla Petree (6-10, First season at Morehead St.)
 
Follow The Game:
Video: ESPN+ 
Radio: SEMO Radio (Erik Sean) 
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
Redhawks on Social Media:
Twitter: @officialSEMOWBB
Instagram: officialSEMOWBB
 
2022-23 WBB Stats
 
Redhawks Look To Make It Two In a Row Saturday at Morehead State
Southeast Missouri (6-10, 1-4 OVC) will travel to take on Morehead State (6-10, 2-3 OVC) on Saturday, Jan. 14, looking for the second Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season in 2023. Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m., CT at Johnson Arena in Morehead, Ky. 
 
SERIES HISTORY
SEMO swept the series last season, winning both matchups with the Eagles including the last time these two met on February 19, 2022 in Morehead, Ky. The Redhawks won the matchup 70-62 behind 17 points from Deanay Watson. 
 
Four Redhawks scored in double figures in the contest en route to the second conference win of the season for SEMO. 
 
SEMO leads the all-time series by a tall of 27-22 between two of the longest-tenured Ohio Valley schools. 
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Eagles
Morehead State (6-10, 2-3 OVC), led by first year coach Cayla Petree, come into Saturday's contest having dropped their latest contest to Tennessee Tech by a final score of 69-52 in Cookeville, Tenn. 
 
The Eagles shot .388 from the field in Thursday's matchup and was led in scoring by senior guard Veronica Charles who had 14 points and five assists. 
 
Sophomore guard Melissa Secchiaroli chipped in 10 points as a second-half draught led to the downfall of MSU who trailed 37-20 at the halftime break. 
 
The Eagles defense forced 14 TTU turnovers, including six steals as a team, but it was not enough as Tennessee Tech shot .415 from the field en route to the 17-point win. 
 
So far this season, MSU has scored 932 points as a team for a season average of 58.3 points per game. The Eagles are currently shooting .376-percent from the field (350-932) and shoot just .279-from three point land.
 
Veronica Charles leads the Eagles in scoring with a 12.4 points per game average, with a 37.8-shooting percentage from the field. Charles also leads the Eagles in the rebounding category with 85 total rebounds on the season (5.3 RPG). 
 
Junior Forward Sophie Benharouga is second on the team in both scoring (8.9 ppg) and rebounds with 60 on the season (3.8 RPG). 
 
MSU is currently on a two-game losing streak coming into Saturday's contest and sit at 2-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
Sophie Bussard scored a game-high 14 points to lead Southeast Missouri (6-10, 1-4) to a dominating 68-45 win over Lindenwood (1-15, 1-5) Thursday night in the first meeting between the teams.
 
SEMO stormed out to a 17-0 lead in the first seven minutes of the game and never turned back en route to snapping a four-game losing streak and picking up its first Ohio Valley Conference victory. 
 
Bussard scored seven points and Kori Tomlin added five during the early surge that ended on Bussard's layup with 3:07 left to play in the first quarter.
 
The Redhawks kept LU off the scoreboard for the first 8:26 before Devin Fuhring made two free throws for the Lions' first points at the 1:34 mark.
 
SEMO held a comfortable 21-4 advantage after the first 10 minutes of play.
 
The Redhawks continued to pour it on the first half and shot 60 percent (9-of-15) in the second quarter to build a 20-point (41-21) halftime lead. 
 
SEMO got a nice lift from its bench which contributed 16 points, including six by Chandler Davis and five by Kiyley Flowers before the intermission.
 
The Redhawks heated up to shoot 51.5 percent (17-of-33) in the first half.
 
Things didn't get any better for LU in the final two quarters, as their deficit fell below 20 points only once the rest of the way.
 
Bussard's two free throws gave SEMO its largest lead at 50-21 with 6:51 to go in the third quarter. After that, the Redhawks were ahead by 28 toward the end of that period before putting their win on ice.
 
Bussard missed just three shots going 4-of-7 from the field. She was a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line and earned her fourth double-digit scoring effort of the season.
 
Kennedi Watkins followed close behind with 13 points, while Halle Smith matched Bussard with six rebounds.
 
For the game, SEMO shot 45.6 percent (26-of-57), its best field goal percentage against a Division I opponent this year. The Redhawks 14 turnovers are a season-low against Division I foes.
 
The Redhawks outrebounded LU, 34-30, and received a big 35-14 lift from their reserves.