CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – BJ Ward scored a game-high 21 points to lead four starters in double figures as Southeast Missouri (14-10, 9-4) defeated Morehead State (12-12, 8-5), 82-70, Thursday night at the Show Me Center.
 
SEMO led for all but 11 seconds of the game en route to recording its season-best fifth-consecutive win. Along the way, the Redhawks gave Head Coach Brad Korn his first home victory over the Eagles. 
 
The Redhawks used another strong first half to build a double-digit lead.
 
Braxton Stacker made back-to-back 3-pointers and later added a layup to put the Redhawks ahead by double figures for the first time at 30-19 with just under four minutes remaining in the first half.
 
A 16-3 run stretched SEMO's lead to 37-21 when MSU went over five minutes without a field goal. Marqueas Bell's free throws capped that surge to grab the Redhawks a 37-21 advantage at the 2:28 mark.
 
SEMO headed into the intermission ahead, 43-29.
 
Stacker scored 12 points and the Redhawks got a big boost off the bench from David Idada who contributed six points and five rebounds in 11 minutes. Luke Almodovar also reached double figures in the first half with 10.
 
SEMO also shot 54 percent from 3-point range (7-of-13) in the game's first 20 minutes.
 
MSU managed to get within nine multiple times in the second half, but that was as close as it would get.
 
The Redhawks took their largest lead of the night (74-56) on Brendan Terry's free throw with 4:48 left to play before nailing down their eighth win at home this season.
 
Ward shot 7-of-13 from the field, buried three 3-pointers and made a perfect 4-of-4 free throws. Stacker followed with a double-double 17 points and 10 rebounds, his first as a Redhawk. 
 
Almodovar and Terry chipped in 13 points apiece.
 
For the game, SEMO shot 50.9 percent (29-of-57), 45 percent (9-of-20) from downtown and outrebounded MSU, 30-25.
 
Jon Carroll led MSU with 15 points.
 
SEMO stays home to host Southern Indiana Feb. 7.