EKU tops Southeast to earn NCAA tourney bid

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State's best shot at the program's first NCAA Division I tournament berth ended in pure heartache.

The second-seeded Redhawks, who came ever so close to winning the game late in regulation, instead fell 84-73 in double overtime to top-seeded Eastern Kentucky in Saturday's title contest of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

EKU (23-7), the OVC regular-season champion, earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.

Southeast (22-8), which finished one game behind the Colonels in the OVC's regular season, may or may not have ended its campaign. There is a chance the Redhawks will receive consideration for a spot in the Women's NIT.

But that was of little consolation to the Redhawks after the thrilling contest that featured countless big-time plays by both teams.

"It was a heck of a game," Southeast coach B.J. Smith said. "You hate to lose these kind. We won one yesterday, but we couldn't get this one."

It was the Redhawks' second appearance in the OVC tournament championship game under third-year coach Smith, whose first Southeast squad was blown out 85-61 by Austin Peay in the 2002-03 final.

Before Smith took over the program, Southeast had never reached the OVC tourney title contest.

"We thought this year was our best chance to win it," Smith said. "We'll keep working at it until we get it done."

It looked like Southeast would get it done Saturday at the Gaylord Entertainment Center -- and in much the same fashion as Friday's 71-68 semifinal win against Tennessee Tech when junior guard Tiffanne Ryan hit a game-winning 3-pointer with four-tenths of a second left.

This time, junior forward Natalie Purcell's 17-footer from the right baseline with 8.7 seconds remaining in regulation put the Redhawks ahead 60-58 for just their third lead of the second half.

"I hoped so," said Purcell, when asked if she thought her shot would win the game, just as Ryan's had done. "But there was still a lot of time left."

Just enough time for Laura Shelton, a 5-foot-5 junior guard, to drive from just inside mid-court all the way to the basket and scoop up a difficult left-handed shot -- underhanded -- that snuck over two Southeast defenders, rolled around the rim and made its way into the basket with 1 second left to force overtime at 60-60.

"We actually had a play drawn up, but it went bad," explained Shelton. "She actually stepped out of the way trying not to foul me and I had an open layup."

Shelton was referring to Chandra Brown, Southeast's 6-3 senior forward who pretty much verified Shelton's account of the final play.

"Me and Red [Southeast junior guard Katrisha Dunn, who was guarding Shelton] were both saying after she made the shot that we didn't really want to go after her and give her an and-one [for a potential three-point play]," Brown said.

Said Smith: "It was a tough shot and she hit it."

Each team had chances to win in the first 5-minute overtime, which featured leads by both squads and ended 66-66.

By that time Southeast junior center Tatiana Conceicao -- the OVC's player of the year -- had already fouled out. Brown joined her on the bench just 23 seconds into the second overtime, as four Redhawks wound up fouling out.

EKU went on to dominate the second extra session, scoring the first eight points and easing to victory.

"When we didn't win in regulation, then we missed some shots ... obviously Conceicao and Brown fouling out hurt us," Smith said. "It sure takes away our inside game."

EKU senior forward Miranda Eckerle, a first-team all-conference selection, scored 16 of her game-high 29 points after regulation.

Eckerle, who played much of the second half and both overtimes with four fouls, never received her fifth and scored 10 of the Colonels' points in the second extra period, as they outscored Southeast 18-7.

"Lots of calls could have gone both ways," Eckerle said. "They just happened to go in my favor."

Purcell led Southeast in scoring with 16 points off the bench. Conceicao had 13 points, Brown added 10, Dunn had nine off the bench while providing tenacious defense, and junior point guard Wanika Owsley dished out seven assists.

EKU outshot Southeast from the field 49.2 percent (29 of 59) to 40 percent (26 of 65), and the Redhawks made just eight of 26 3-pointers (30.8 percent), while the Colonels attempted only five 3-pointers and hit three.

The Colonels had a big advantage from the free-throw line, hitting 23 of 33 to 13 of 19 for Southeast. Both squads had 24 turnovers.

"It was a great game by both teams. They made some great shots and so did we," Smith said. "You have to take your hat off to Eastern Kentucky."

Southeast started the game strong and led 16-7 early, but EKU rallied to go ahead 32-28 at halftime. The Colonels led most of the second half to set up the wild ending to regulation, then they dominated the second overtime, as the Redhawks missed five of their first six shots.