CARBONDALE, Ill. – Sophomore guard Alecia Doyle had a game-high 19 points as Southeast Missouri women's basketball (0-1) dropped the 2023-24 season opener to Southern Illinois (1-0) by a final score of 85-70 on Tuesday night at the Banterra Center. 
 
Doyle, a native of Herrin, Ill., was 8-for-10 from the field, including a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range, and sunk a free throw in 32-minutes of game time. 
 
All 11 Redhawks who suited up played in the contest as five Redhawks made their SEMO debut on Tuesday night including forwards Abbigail Stephens and Amiyah Buchanan, and guards Daejah Richmond, Indiya Bowen, and Megan Barton. 
 
Richmond led the newcomers in points with 13 on a 4-of-8 shooting performance. 
 
Preseason All-OVC selection Jaliyah Green had a strong start to her campaign as she finished with 17 points, four assists, and seven rebounds. 
 
As a team, SEMO shot 53.1-percent from the field compared to SIU who shot just 48.4-percent, but a strong second-half from the Salukis proved to be the difference. 
 
SEMO dominated the glass as well, out rebounding the Salukis by a 36-27 tally, led by Green's seven boards. 
 
SEMO started the game on fire, shooting an impressive 71-percent from the floor in the first quarter led by Alecia Doyle. 
 
Doyle finished the quarter going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field including a nice jump shot with contact to complete the old-fashioned three-point play midway through the first quarter. 
 
Daejah Richmond recorded her first points in a Redhawks jersey in the first quarter as the Cordova, Tenn. She finished the first 10-minutes with four points, including a pair of free throws. 
 
The Redhawks shot 55.2-percent from the field in the first half, led by Doyle who finished with 12 points to lead SEMO in scoring. 
 
Seven different Redhawks recorded points in the opening 20-minutes including SEMO debutants Abby Stephens (2), Megan Barton (4), and Daejah Richmond (11). 
 
The Redhawks controlled the glass in the first half as well, out rebounding the Salukis by a 20-13 mark. Three Redhawks finished the half with four rebounds in Jaliyah Green, Kiyley Flowers, and Daejah Richmond. 
 
At the half, SEMO led 41-37. 
 
The Redhawks started the third quarter quickly, growing their halftime led to nine points, 52-43. 
 
SIU, midway through the third quarter would go on an 8-0 run to cut the SEMO led to just one with 4:04 left in the quarter. 
 
A foul by Amiyah Buchanan was upgraded to a flagrant one, giving SIU free throws and the ball back to spark the run. 
 
A three-pointer by SIU's Quierra Love would give SIU its first lead of the half as they led 54-52 as the third quarter wound down. 
 
The Redhawks, during a 5:10 scoring draught, got back to its scoring ways on a Kiyley Flowers free throw to cut SIU's lead to six entering the final quarter. 
 
SIU began the fourth quarter on an 8-0 scoring run and grew the lead to 16 with 7:08 left in the fourth quarter, the largest lead of the contest to that point.
 
An Alecia Doyle three-pointer cut the SIU lead to just 13 midway through the final quarter as SEMO faced its second-largest deficit of the contest, as the game went to the final media timeout.
 
SIU scored a quick five points out of the break off a layup and three-pointer from Shamera Williams to extend SIU's lead to 17 as SIU would hold on for the victory.  
 
The Salukis were led by Quierra Love and Shemera Williams who each had 16 points, including a combined 7-for-7 from three-point land. SIU shot 52.9-percent from behind-the-arc as a team.
 
SEMO will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 11, when they take on Stephens College in the 23-24 home opener at the Show-Me Center. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m., CT. in Cape Girardeau.