CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Phillip Russell scored a game-high 30 points and had nine assists as Southeast Missouri (11-11, 6-3) overcame a 16-point deficit to beat Tennessee State (11-11, 3-6), 92-75, Thursday at the Show Me Center.
 
SEMO trailed 16-1 early before outscoring, 49-31, in the second half to pull off its come-from-behind win. The Redhawks remain tied for first in the Ohio Valley Conference with four others, including UT Martin, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech and Southern Indiana.
 
After Justin Williams' layup gave the game its fifth tie at 53-53 with 13:45 remaining, SEMO put together an 11-0 run to pull away.
 
Josh Earley scored four points, while Russell buried a 3-pointer, Smart threw down a dunk and Israel Barnes knocked down a jumper to get the Redhawks their first double-digit lead, 64-53, at the 10:46 mark. TSU missed nine-straight field goals and did not score for 3:35. 
 
TSU scored a pair of baskets in transition to trim SEMO's lead to 67-61, but Russell countered with a 3-pointer.
 
The Tigers again made it a two-possession game before Barnes scored on a layup off a Smart pass on the fast break to push SEMO's lead to 72-64.
 
Two missed free throws by the Tigers followed and Russell drained a three to give SEMO another double-digit advantage (75-64) with 4:43 on the clock.
 
The Redhawks didn't let up after that on their way to claiming their sixth OVC win.
 
SEMO overcame a slow start which saw the Redhawks miss their first nine field goals and first five 3-pointers of the contest. As a result, TSU went on a 17-1 run to build a quick 16-point lead in the opening 5:10 of play.
 
Adam Larson's 3-pointer broke the cold spell nearly six minutes in. 
 
TSU led by at least 15 twice more when Jr. Clay's turnaround jumper put the Tigers ahead, 19-4, and another jumper by Clay widened the margin to 34-19 with 8:44 left.
 
Nate Johnson's second chance bucket started a string of six SEMO points that got the Redhawks within nine at 34-25. Smart scored on a breakaway layup and Chris Harris followed with a jumper off a TSU turnover to end the stretch.
 
Shortly after that, Russell buried free throws on two occasions to get the Redhawks within eight and then made a layup to close the Tigers lead to 37-31 at the 5:05 mark.
 
Aquan Smart's pair of 3-pointers made it a 39-37 game before Harris split two free throws. On SEMO's next possession Larson threw down a dunk to give the Redhawks their first lead, 40-39, with 2:06 left. Larson's dunk capped a 9-0 surge for SEMO. 
 
TSU regained a 44-43 edge at the half. 
 
Russell shot 8-of-15 from the field and a near-perfect 10-of-11 at the free throw line. He buried four 3-pointers and scored 30 or more points for the second time this season and third in his career.
 
Smart followed with 14 points, while Earley added 12 and Chris Harris chipped in 10.
 
SEMO shot 51.5 percent (17-of-33) from the field in the final 20 minutes. The Redhawks outscored the Tigers, 20-7, at the free throw line for the game.
 
Clay led TSU with a double-double 26 points and 14 assists. He also had seven rebounds for the Tigers.
 
The Redhawks return to action at Eastern Illinois Saturday.