Game 4
Southeast Missouri (0-3) at Eastern Kentucky (1-3)
 
Game Information: 
Date: Sunday, November 17
Time: 2:00 P.M., CT. 
Location: Berea, Kentucky
Venue: Seabury Center
Series: EKU leads 34-20
 
Head Coaches:
SEMO: Briley Palmer (0-3, First Season)
EKU: Greg Todd (55-42, Fourth Season)
 
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X: @OfficialSEMOWBB
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Watch: ESPN+
Listen: SEMO ESPN 93.5 FM or 1220 AM (Rusty Hendricks)
 
Game Notes (PDF)
Media Guide (PDF)
 
Redhawks Close Out Road Trip Sunday at Eastern Kentucky
Southeast Missouri Women's Basketball (0-3) will conclude the four-game road swing to start the season on Sunday, November 17, when they travel to Eastern Kentucky (1-3). Tip-off is set for 2 p.m., CT. from the Seabury Center in Berea, Kentucky. 
 
Series History
Longtime Ohio Valley Conference foes, the Redhawks and Colonels are no strangers to one another and will meet for the 55^th time on Sunday afternoon. A season ago, EKU came to Cape Girardeau and defeated SEMO by a final score of 57-48 (Dec. 19, 2023). The Colonels have a 34-20 series lead over the Redhawks, with SEMO's last win coming back in 2021 at EKU (61-55). 
 
Thursday Night
The Redhawks were last in action on Thursday night at Evansville in a game that resulted in a 70-55 loss for SEMO. Zoe Best and Lexi McCully led the offense with 16 points apiece, but the Redhawks struggled to shoot the ball finishing just 24-74 from the field (32.4%). 
 
UE lived at the free throw line finishing 31-for-38 (81.6%) compared to just 5-for-12 for SEMO (41.7%). The Aces were led in scoring by Camryn Runner who finished with 20 points. She was one-of-three Aces in double figures on the night. 
 
Double Digit Streak
Three Redhawks are on a double-digit point streak through the first three games of the season led by guard Zoe Best. Best finished with 16 points, coming off a 10-point effort at Texas (11/10) and a 25-point game in the season-opener at Dayton (11/5). Fellow guards Kennedy Claybrooks and Lexi McCully join Best as Claybrooks is on a two-game streak, with McCully on a one game streak.
 
Turn 'Em Over
On the defensive end, SEMO has done a great job of forcing turnovers through the first three games of the season. The Redhawks have forced their opponents into 69 turnovers (23.0 TPG). Zoe Best and Kennedy Claybrooks are leading the squad in steals with six apiece (2.0 SPG). 
 
Protect The Paint
Freshman center Ainaya Williams, who has started all three games for SEMO in 2024-25, has commanded the paint on the defensive end of the floor. Williams has recorded six blocks on the season (2.0 BPG) including two blocks against Evansville on Thursday night. 
 
Pass It
Junior Kennedy Claybrooks leads the Redhawks in assists this season having dished out 16 assists over three games. The Memphis, Tennessee-native is averaging 5.3 assists-per-game and has a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. Claybrooks is currently tied for first in assists in the Ohio Valley Conference with Kate Novik of Morehead State. 
 
Two-Straight
Senior guard Lexi McCully has made an impact for the Redhawks after making two consecutive starts over the last two games. McCully, who played for Coach Briley Palmer at Mineral Area College, is averaging 10.5 points-per-game in her two starts including a SEMO career-best 16 points on Thursday night. 
 
On the Glass
Four Redhawks have hauled in double digit rebounds so far this season, led by guard Zoe Best with 16. Kennedy Claybrooks, Sophie Bussard, and Anjelicia Del Valle have each grabbed 10 boards. As a team, SEMO is averaging 31.0 rebounds-per-game and is currently 10^th in the OVC for that category. 
 
Scoring Offense
Through three games, Southeast Missouri is averaging 57.3 points-per-game which ranks them eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in offense. SEMO has totaled 172 points on the season, including a season-high 70 points in the season opener at Dayton (11/5). 
 
Scouting the Opponent
Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels are 1-3 on the young season and are coming off a road loss to Michigan State. EKU's one win so far this season came against SIU Carbondale this past Sunday. In addition to Michigan State the Colonels have lost to LSU and OVC opponent Tennessee State. 
 
Against Michigan State, Alice Recanati, the fifth-year guard from Italy and only Colonel to make the preseason All-ASUN team, scored a season high 17 points shooting 70% from the field. Recanati also finished with one steal, one assist, and two rebounds.
 
Recanati currently leads the Colonels this season in points, assists, and defensive rebounds per game. She is average 11.5 points, 3.3 assist, and 4.5 defensive rebound while also shooting a .463 clip on the year. 
 
Kaitlyn Costner, EKU's second highest scorer, is averaging 8.8 points per game and 4.5 rebounds so far this year. 
 
Down in the post, six-foot three forward Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor is grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game and has six blocks on the year along with six points per game on the year.
 
As a team, Eastern Kentucky is scoring 54 points per game compared to their opponents 76.5. The Colonels are shooting 31.3% from the field, 24.2% from three-point land, and 59.2% from the line. 
 
Greg Todd enters his fourth season as head coach for Eastern Kentucky. Todd currently owns a 56-45 overall record and a 27-23 conference record with the Colonels. 
 
EKU was picked to finish fourth in the A-SUN in the preseason polls. Last season, Eastern Kentucky went 9-7 in conference play and had a 22-12 overall record. The Colonels finished with 20 wins for the first time since 2005.
 
Last season the Colonels advanced to the semifinals in last year's conference tournament and earned a spot in the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) for just the second time in program history.