Redhawks drop tight decision to Racers

Murray State's payback assured Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks of having to hit the road for the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

The Racers avenged an earlier three-point home loss to Southeast by holding off the Redhawks 61-57 Thursday night at the Show Me Center.

Southeast (13-13, 8-7) had its losing streak extended to three games and also had its hopes of hosting an OVC tournament opening-round contest extinguished.

"We knew there was a lot at stake, with the home-court advantage for the tournament," Southeast senior guard Derek Winans said. "We just didn't get it done."

The top four finishers in the 11-team league play at home Tuesday night in the first round. Southeast is in sixth place and can finish no higher than tied for fifth.

Conversely, the Racers (16-10, 10-5) pulled into a second-place tie and closed in on a first-round tournament home date.

Thursday's game was almost identical in style to the earlier meeting in Murray, Ky., when Southeast squeezed out a 61-58 victory.

But this time the Redhawks did not shoot quite as well -- and that ultimately cost them. Southeast shot 45 percent from the field (18 of 40), and just 25 percent from 3-point range (four of 16). Earlier against MSU, the Redhawks shot 48 percent from the floor and 40 percent on 3-pointers.

"We just never really got anything going offensively. They never did either, but they did a little better than we did," said Southeast coach Gary Garner, noting the Racers' 49 percent shooting. "We got good looks, they just wouldn't go down.

"We had the tempo the way we wanted it, just like it was the last time. We felt like if the score was 61-57, we'd be on top."

Particularly struggling offensively was senior forward Dainmon Gonner, the OVC's leading scorer at 20.5 points per contest. Gonner hit four of 13 shots -- he missed all four of his 3-point attempts -- and scored 15 points, which was still a game high.

Seven of Gonner's points came on free throws as Southeast was able to stay close largely from the line. The Redhawks hit 17 of 23 foul shots compared to eight of 12 for MSU.

"I was getting good looks. They just weren't falling," Gonner said. "But we played hard and we played together, and we still had a chance to win."

Said Garner: "Dainmon just had a bad night shooting the ball. If Dainmon shoots well, we probably win. Boy, he had some good looks at the basket."

Sophomore guard Terrick Willoughby scored 12 points, but the OVC's leading 3-point shooter made just one of five from long range.

Senior forward Reggie Golson added 11 points -- nearly six below his average -- as he played just nine first-half minutes after being poked in the eye early and having to wait for his vision to clear. Golson attempted only seven shots, making five.

Junior forward Issian Redding led the Racers with 14 points, and he hit one of the game's biggest baskets with 14 seconds left after Southeast had pulled to within two points.

Southeast led just twice all night, at 8-6 and 10-8 early in the game, and trailed 35-29 at halftime.

The Redhawks, after falling behind 40-31 early in the final period, got within two points five times, the last at 59-57 on Gonner's basket with eight seconds left.

But Southeast never could catch up, and sophomore guard Trey Pearson's two free throws with 6 seconds left sealed the victory.

"We just never could get the basket to tie it," Garner said.

Southeast plays its final regular-season game Saturday, hosting Tennessee-Martin.

"It's our last home game," Winans said, "and we really want to win it."