EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – BJ Ward scored 20 points and Southeast Missouri (15-11, 10-5) saw its six-game winning streak come to an end in a 74-56 setback at SIU Edwardsville (17-9, 10-5) Thursday.
 
It was a tale of two halves for SEMO tonight.
 
The Redhawks heated up to shoot 52.9 percent from 3-point range in the game's opening 20 minutes.
 
Luke Almodovar and Ward each buried four threes accounting for all but one of their team's nine first-half 3-pointers.
 
Blaize Sagna drained the other which at the time gave SEMO a 36-26 lead with 1:42 remaining. The Redhawks then held a 40-34 lead at the intermission.
 
The second half, however, was a different story.
 
SEMO fell into a cold spell shooting only 18 percent (4-of-22) from the floor. 
 
Meanwhile, the Cougars took advantage outscoring the Redhawks, 40-16, to come away with their seventh victory in eight games.
 
SIUE used a 10-0 surge to take a 44-43 lead and didn't let up the rest of the way.
 
Ward scored 18 of his team-high 20 points in the first half. Almodovar, who scored 13 points in the opening stanza, had just three more in the second half. Ward 
 
Arnas Sakenis led SIUE with a double-double 16 points and 15 rebounds.
 
The Cougars shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the field in the second half and outrebounded the Redhawks, 43-30, in the game.
 
SIUE won both matchups between the teams in this year's home-and-home series.
 
SEMO heads to rival Lindenwood Saturday.