CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Josh Earley scored a career-high 22 points and Southeast Missouri (8-17, 3-9) made a ferocious comeback bid that fell just short in a 77-74 loss to Tennessee State (15-10, 8-4) Saturday at the Show Me Center.
 
Down, 68-55, SEMO outscored TSU, 19-9, in the final 6:29 to nearly pull of a come-from-behind thriller.
 
The Redhawks got within three or less points several times down the stretch and even got within one (71-70) on a layup by Earley with 1:08 to go.
 
After Justin Williams answered with a layup and Jason Jitoboh made two free throws, TSU led, 75-70, with 24 seconds on the clock.
 
SEMO kept chipping away and made it a 76-74 game when Braxton Stacker buried two free throws 10 seconds later. 
 
Williams was fouled and split two free throws to give TSU a three-point cushion and Stacker went to the charity stripe again with seven seconds remaining.
 
Stacker, after missing his first shot, intentionally missed the second, grabbed the rebound and passed to Evan Eursher. Eursher's 3-pointer from the top of the arc came off the rim and David Idada grabbed the rebound. Idada kicked the ball out to BJ Ward who launched a 3-pointer from the left corner and his attempt missed as time expired.
 
TSU set the tone from the start putting together a 10-3 run in the opening three minutes of play.
 
After SEMO pulled within two on a layup by Earley, the Tigers scored 13 of the next 17 points to get a double-digit lead. Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. got free for a fast break layup and EJ Bellinger followed with a 3-pointer to extend TSU's lead to 23-12 with 10:25 remaining in the first half.
 
Hodges made a jumper to push TSU's lead to 29-15 with 6:46 left before SEMO trimmed the margin to single digits, 38-29, at the break. Earley's second chance layup with 25 seconds made it a nine-point game.
 
TSU shot 51.6 percent from the field with 15 of its points coming from long range. SEMO also made five 3-pointers, including two by Evan Eursher in the game's first 20 minutes.
 
The Tigers stayed hot in the second half making 10 of their first 12 shots at an 83.3 percent clip. Hodges' layup gave TSU its biggest lead at 54-39 with 14:21 left.
 
TSU held a double-digit lead until Ward's jumper brought the score to 68-59 with 3:53 left to play.
 
Earley shot 11-of-18 from the field and scored 16 of his points in the second half. He also finished with eight rebounds.
 
Martin followed with 17 points on 6-of-16 from the field, 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 at the free throw line. He scored 12 points in the final 20 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, Eursher scored 12 points on four 3-pointers.
 
SEMO shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64) for the game and made a 10 three-pointers, its most in an Ohio Valley Conference matchup this season.
 
Hodges led all TSU scorers with 18 points. TSU shot 56.6 percent (30-of-53) as a team.
 
The Redhawks hit the road to face Eastern Illinois on Feb. 15.