CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Tennessee State (20-9, 14-5) made 36 free throws en route to a 79-71 win over Southeast Missouri (18-12, 13-6) Thursday night at the Show Me Center.
 
TSU outscored SEMO, 36-20, at the free throw line where both teams combined to shoot 70 in the game.
 
After Brendan Terry's layup gave SEMO a 44-35 lead early in the second half, TSU went on a 20-7 run to take the lead. 
 
Antoine Lorick III scored the last five points of that surge and converted a 3-point play to give the Tigers a 55-51 cushion with 10:31 to go.
 
SEMO missed eight-straight shots and went over five minutes without a field goal. Several of those misses were in the paint.
 
Despite the cold spell, the Redhawks were within three (55-52) when Stacker split two free throws. Then, BJ Ward nailed a 3-pointer to end the drought and knot things up at 55-55 with 8:52 left.
 
Ward knocked down another 3-pointer on SEMO's next possession to regain a 58-57 lead, but TSU quickly answered with two free throws by Aaron Nkrumah.
 
PJ Farmer's fast break layup regained a one-point edge for the Redhawks and that was SEMO's final lead of the night.
 
The Tigers didn't trail for the final 7:16 and made 11 free throws in that stretch to finish off their 20th win of the season.
 
TSU, which was in the bonus for the last 12:49 of the first half, scored 17 of its points from the free throw line.
 
The Tigers took an 11-5 lead on Nkrumah's jumper with 14:23 left to play.
 
Luke Almodovar drained a 3-pointer to give SEMO a 15-13 edge and Dante Harris later made two free throws to tie the game at 17-17.
 
After Travis Harper II made a jumper to bring the game to a 24-24 deadlock, the Redhawks went on a 7-0 run.
 
Terry scored a layup and Elliot Lowndes scored on a tip-in off an Almodovar miss. Almodovar added a free throw and Farmer scored on a breakaway layup to put SEMO ahead, 31-24, with 4:32 left.
 
Braxton Stacker's 3-pointer extended SEMO's lead to 38-28 before the Redhawks held a 38-33 advantage at the half.
 
Ward led the Redhawks with 14 points, while Marqueas Bell and Terry followed with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
 
SEMO shot 37.9 percent (22-of-58) from the field and hit 20-of-28 free throws.
 
Lorick III scored a game-high 22 points and Dante Harris dropped in 20 to lead the Tigers.
 
TSU outscored SEMO, 46-33, in the second half and outrebounded the Redhawks, 36-27.
 
SEMO hosts Tennessee Tech in its regular-season finale Saturday.