CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. –
Rob Martin scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures and Southeast Missouri (9-7, 4-1) picked up its sixth-straight home win with a 77-66 victory over Southern Indiana (6-9, 1-4) Thursday.
SEMO improved to 7-1 and remained undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference games at the Show Me Center this season.
USI led for only 55 seconds of clock time.
After USI scored the game's first basket, SEMO went on a 9-0 run behind four-straight made field goals.
BJ Ward buried a 3-pointer, Martin pulled up for a jumper and
Elliot Lowndes followed with a dunk off a pass from
Brendan Terry before Teddy Washington, Jr. added a hookshot to give the Redhawks a 9-2 lead less than three minutes in.
The Screaming Eagles battled back to tie the game at 20-20 on Stephen Olowoniyi's dunk with 6:37 remaining in the first half.
Ahead, 25-24, a minute and 16 seconds later, SEMO used a stepback jumper by Washington, Jr. and four-straight free throws to get ahead, 31-24, with just under four minutes left.
Braxton Stacker's driving layup gave the Redhawks another seven-point lead before they headed into the intermission up, 37-31.
SEMO took its first double-digit lead of the night when Troy Cole, Jr. made two free throws widening the Redhawks margin to 41-31.
Cole, Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer on his team's next possession to stretch the Redhawks lead to 44-33 with 15:52 remaining.
Two more free throws by Cole, Jr. then put SEMO ahead, 46-36, thirty-eight seconds later.
USI managed to get within two (52-50) on a pair of Sam Kodi free throws with10:12 to play, but that was as close as it would get the rest of the way.
Martin knocked down two 3-pointers to go along with 5-of-6 free throws en route to his sixth double-digit game of the season. He added a game-high six assists, as well.
BJ Ward followed with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Stacker pitched in 13 off the bench and Terry contributed 12.
The Redhawks finished with eight 3-pointers and outscored the Screaming Eagles, 24-9, from beyond the arc. Additionally, SEMO made a season-high 25-of-32 free throws.
SEMO returns to action when it hosts Morehead State Saturday. The Redhawks are in a three-way tie for first in the OVC along with MSU and Tennessee Tech.