Game #26
Southeast Missouri (11-14, 6-8 OVC)
vs. Eastern Illinois (20-4, 13-1 OVC)
Game Information
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023
Tip-off: 5 p.m., CT.
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.       
Arena: Show-Me Center
Series: SEMO leads 33-23
Last Meeting: EIU won 63-57 | January 28, 2023 | Charleston, Ill.     
Head Coaches: Rekha Patterson (112-121, Eighth Season at SEMO);
Matt Bollant (60-75, Sixth Season at EIU)
 
Follow The Game:
Video: ESPN+
Radio: SEMO ESPN (Rusty Hendricks)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
2022-23 WBB Stats (PDF)
 
Redhawks on Social Media:
Twitter: @officialSEMOWBB
Instagram: officialSEMOWBB 
 
Redhawks Host League-Leading Eastern Illinois Thursday Night
Southeast Missouri (11-14, 6-8 OVC) will open a two-game home stand Thursday night at the Show-Me Center against the Ohio Valley Conference leader Eastern Illinois (20-4, 13-1 OVC) Panthers. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m., CT. 
 
Series History
SEMO currently maintains a 33-23 hold on the series with the Panthers despite losing three-straight in the series dating back to last season. 
 
EIU won the previous matchup earlier this season by a final score of 63-57 in Charleston on January 28. 
 
Scouting the Opponent
Panthers
Eastern Illinois will enter Thursday's contest following their first loss in conference play. EIU dropped a game in Edwardsville, 82-77, to SIUE snapping a 13-game winning streak in the process. 
 
The Panthers had four different players in double-figures in the scoring column led by junior forward Morgan Litwiller who went for 19 points and seven assists. 


Forward Macy McGlone chipped in 18 points and collected eight boards, while Preseason OVC Player of the Year Lariah Washington and teammate Miah Monahan scored 13 points. 
 
So far this season, EIU is averaging 70.5 points per game which ranks near the top of the OVC, and are impressively holding their opponents to 62.0 points per game. The +8.6 point differential ranks in the top-three of the league for the category. 
 
The Panthers are led by sixth year head coach Matt Bollant who has a 403-234 career record over 20 years of coaching, and is sporting a 60-75 record in six seasons at EIU (39-53 OVC). 
 
Last Time Out
Jaliyah Green scored a game-high 15 points to lead Southeast Missouri (11-14, 6-8) to its second-straight win, a 69-55 victory over Morehead State (9-16, 5-9) Saturday afternoon at the Show Me Center.
 
With the win, SEMO improved to 9-3 at home this season.
 
Down one (21-20), with 3:31 remaining in the second quarter, SEMO closed out the first half with a 12-2 run to take a 32-23 lead at the intermission.
 
Green's jumper got things going and Kiyley Flowers followed with five points in a row. Green added five more points, including a 3-pointer to polish off the Redhawks strong finish in the opening stanza.
 
SEMO recovered from a slow start which saw it shoot just 26 percent in the first quarter to shooting over 50 percent in the second period. The Redhawks made 8-of-15 field goals with Green (9) and Flowers (5) combining for 14 of SEMO's 18 points in the second quarter.
 
The Redhawks never fell behind the rest of the way.
 
Rahmena Henderson's 3-pointer gave SEMO its first double-digit lead at 37-27 with 8:15 to go in the third quarter. Green later split two free throws to extend the Redhawks margin to 13 (40-27).
 
Sophie Bussard then scored five-straight points to push SEMO's lead to 47-31 at the 4:05 mark. Bussard's surge keyed an 8-0 run as the Redhawks took control of the game from there on out.
 
SEMO led by as many as 19 before putting the Eagles away for good.
 
Green shot 6-of-16 from the field, made a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds as one of four Redhawks with double figures in the scoring column. Henderson was close behind with 14 points, while Kori Tomlin added 12 and Bussard chipped in 11. 
 
The Redhawks made a near-perfect 13-of-14 free throws and forced 17 turnovers.
 
SEMO completed a two-game sweep of MSU this season. 
 
Looking Ahead
The Redhawks will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 18, to take on Southern Indiana for the second-time this season. These two opened the OVC season against one another on Dec. 29, 2022 in Evansville. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m., CT., Saturday afternoon at the Show-Me Center.