CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Braxton Stacker scored 19 points and Southeast Missouri (12-10, 7-4) shot a season-high 63.5 percent from the field in a 90-79 win over UT Martin (9-13, 5-6) Thursday night at the Show Me Center.
 
With its win, SEMO ended a five-game losing streak in its all-time series against the Skyhawks. The Redhawks also improved to 38-9 all-time against UTM in Cape Girardeau.
 
SEMO was red-hot in the first half shooting 60.7 percent from the field. The Redhawks made 17 of their first 28 shots en route to their highest first half field goal percentage of the season 
 
The Redhawks put together an 11-2 run to take a six-point lead in the opening 4:25 of the contest.
 
BJ Ward buried a 3-pointer for SEMO's first basket of the game, Troy Cole, Jr. followed with back-to-back buckets and Rob Martin made a jumper. Ward capped the surge with another make to put the Redhawks ahead, 11-5, with 15:35 remaining in the first half.
 
SEMO, which at one time made eight-straight field goals, grew its lead to 17-7 on a fastbreak jumper by Ward with 13:53 left to play.
 
The Redhawks later pulled ahead, 33-20, on TJ Biel's free throw with 6:19 to play. 
 
After that, Josue Grullon drained three-straight 3-pointers in a quick 2:04 span to cut the Redhawks lead to 33-29.
 
UTM got within four again, but SEMO scored the next six points all from the free throw line to get back up by double figures (42-31) with 1:41 left.
 
A steal and breakaway dunk by Stacker followed by a Martin jumper in the final 41 seconds pushed the Redhawks margin to 46-33 at the half.
 
SEMO picked up where it left off in the second half scoring six-straight points to run its lead to 19. Brendan Terry made a pair of layups in that stretch with his second giving the Redhawks a 52-33 advantage.
 
UTM countered with an 8-0 surge and knocked the Redhawks lead down to 52-41 on Matija Zuzic's 3-pointer with just under 17 minutes left.
 
Despite going over five minutes without a field goal, the Skyhawks made nine free throws to pull within eight, 63-55, at the 11:58 mark.
 
Martin immediately countered with a jumper and Ward knocked down a 3-pointer to put SEMO ahead by double figures again, this time at 68-55 with 10:36 to go.
 
UTM was down eight twice more before Stacker drove the baseline, scored and was fouled to grab the Redhawks a 73-63 led with 6:48 on the clock.
 
The Skyhawks then managed to make it a seven-point game when Grullon made three free throws trimming SEMO's lead to 77-70 with 4:37 remaining.
 
However, Ward and Washington, Jr. each made a 3-pointer on SEMO's next two possessions. Washington, Jr.'s three put the Redhawks up, 83-72, with 3:28 left.
 
UTM got within single digits one last time before TJ Biel scored off an assist by Martin to bury the Skyhawks for good.
 
Stacker made 6-of-8 field goals, knocked down three 3-pointers and hit a near-perfect 4-of-5 free throws off the bench to lead five Redhawks in double figures.
 
Martin followed close behind with 18 points and seven assists, while Ward added 15 and both Washington, Jr. and Biel each had 11.
 
SEMO made 33-of-52 field goals, including seven from downtown.
 
Grullon finished with a game-high 31 points to lead UTM. 
 
With losses by Morehead State, Little Rock and SIU Edwardsville Thursday night, SEMO moved into a tie for second in the Ohio Valley Conference standings.
 
The Redhawks stay at home to host Tennessee State Saturday.