CHARLESTON, Ill. – Jaliyah Green scored 15 points and had six rebounds and Kennedi Watkins added 14 points as Southeast Missouri (9-12, 4-6) dropped a close 63-57 decision to Ohio Valley Conference leader Eastern Illinois (18-3, 10-0) Saturday at Lantz Arena.
 
In a tight game that featured five ties and nine lead changes, EIU didn't get away from the Redhawks until the final seven minutes of play.
 
Neither team led by more than five points until Watkins scored four and Green had two to get SEMO its largest lead at 49-43 nearly three minutes into the fourth quarter.
 
EIU then trimmed the Redhawks lead to two on a pair of free throws by Taris Thornton. Thornton was fouled again and split her next two free throws to make it a 49-48 game with 5:08 on the clock.
 
Thornton scored another basket and her surge keyed a 13-0 run as EIU pulled away. The Panthers outscored SEMO, 20-8, in the final 7:05 and outscored SEMO, 20-9, at the free throw line with 8-of-10 of those coming in the fourth quarter. 
 
Green (5) and Watkins (4) combined for nine of SEMO's first 13 points as the Redhawks held a one-point edge (13-12) following the first quarter.
 
After Kiyley Flowers hit two free throws out of a media timeout to cut EIU's lead to 24-23 with 3:41 remaining in the second quarter, the Lariah Washington made six-straight free throws to get the Panthers a 30-26 advantage.
 
Flowers again buried two free throws cutting EIU's lead to 30-28 with 1:15 to go and SEMO used two more free throws, this time by Alecia Doyle, to get within a point, 31-30, at the intermission.
 
EIU (11) and SEMO (8) combined to shoot 19 free throws in the first half. The Redhawks made a perfect 8-of-8 at the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes of play.
 
Watkins scored in the paint to regain a 36-35 lead for SEMO early in the third quarter. Shortly after that, Flowers drove to the basket and scored off the glass to push the Redhawks lead to three before Washington buried a three to tie the game at 38-38 with 5:22 left.
 
Watkins broke the deadlock when she scored on a fast break and tacked on two more points in the paint to extend the Redhawks lead to 42-38.
 
Miah Monahan's baseline jumper tied things up at 43-43 at the end of three quarters.
 
Green shot 6-of-14 from the field and made 2-of-2 free throws, while Watkins went 7-of-14 from the floor. Rahmena Henderson rounded out SEMO's trio of double-digit scorers with 12 points. Sophie Bussard pulled down eight rebounds, as well.
 
Washington, who hit 11-of-12 free throws, finished with a game-high 25 points. 
 
EIU shot just 14.3 percent (3-of-21) from 3-point range and had 17 turnovers which led to 20 SEMO points. The Panthers kept their winning streak alive at 10 games.
 
SEMO returns home to host Little Rock on Feb. 2. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m., CT at the Show Me Center. For tickets, call (573) 651-2113 or visit online at SEMORedhawks.com/Tickets.