An amazing comeback

In dire need of a win, Southeast Missouri State instead appeared on the verge of being blown out at home for the second straight game.

But a furious comeback left the Show Me Center rocking Saturday night -- and left the Redhawks with a victory in their Ohio Valley Conference debut under Scott Edgar.

"We had to dig deep, real deep," junior swingman David Johnson said. "We had to stay focused and come out with this win."

The Redhawks (3-5, 1-0 OVC) erased a 14-point deficit with under 12 minutes remaining to stun Tennessee-Martin 81-79 in front of more than 3,000 fans.

Johnson, whose 3-point basket with 52 seconds left put the Redhawks ahead to stay, said that even though the 7,000-seat Show Me Center was less than half full, the crowd played a big role in the win.

Southeast Missouri State's Marcus Rhodes, left, drove the sideline past Tennessee-Martin's Joseph Bailey. (Don Frazier)

"I thought there were 20,000 people for a second," said a smiling Johnson. "We owe this to the fans."

After losing by 19 points at home to Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne Wednesday night, the Redhawks came out strong and led by 10 points in the first half before settling for a 38-34 halftime advantage.

UT-Martin (1-7, 0-1), which had not won since its season opener, took control to start the second half and built a 57-43 lead with 11:48 left.

"Martin played hard, but our guys hung in there," said Edgar, the Redhawks' first-year coach.

Once the Redhawks stopped firing up so many 3-pointers -- they were four of 17 in the first half and missed their first seven attempts in the second half -- and started going inside more, the game turned in their favor.

After starting the final period one for nine from the field -- including those seven missed 3-pointers -- the Redhawks finished the game by making 14 of their final 19 shots.

Conversely, the Skyhawks, after starting the second half nine of 16 from the floor, made only six of their final 16 attempts.

"I think we were taking the ball to the basket more," Johnson said.

Junior center Mike Rembert's basket with 5:50 remaining cut UT-Martin's lead to 67-62, but the Skyhawks quickly went back ahead 70-62 and their advantage remained at least six points until there were under two minutes remaining.

Trailing 76-70, Southeast scored the next 11 points as UT-Martin went nearly three minutes between baskets, thanks in large part to the Redhawks' defensive frenzy that forced the Skyhawks into numerous turnovers.

"Coach always says defense wins games," freshman guard Marcus Rhodes said.

Johnson made the first of two free throws with 1:52 left to pull Southeast within 76-71. He missed the second, but the Redhawks retained possession when the ball went out of bounds off the Skyhawks.

Junior forward Brandon Foust took a nice pass from Rhodes to score with 1:39 remaining. He was fouled and completed the three-point play. All of a sudden it was 76-74.

After a UT-Martin turnover, Johnson buried his 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to put the Redhawks ahead 77-76 and mark their first lead since early in the second half.

Despite making just three of his first 11 3-pointers, Johnson said he never hesitated on the shot.

"I knew I just had to keep shooting if I was open," he said.

Just seconds after his go-ahead basket, Johnson stripped a UT-Martin guard in the backcourt and coasted in for a layup that made it 79-76 with 38 seconds to play.

UT-Martin missed a 3-pointer at the other end. Southeast gave the Skyhawks another chance with a turnover, but they missed two shots and with three seconds left Rhodes' layup iced the win. UT-Martin threw in a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Johnson scored a game-high 20 points and added six steals to go along with four assists, while Foust overcame a slow start to score 15 points.

Rhodes had the best game of his young Southeast career with 14 points and a game-high six assists.

"I was just playing hard," Rhodes said.

Said Edgar, "Marcus was the unsung hero. He helped us on offense and defense tonight."

Rembert added 12 points.

Southeast hurt itself by making just 16 of 31 free throws and committing 21 turnovers, but the Redhawks had just seven second-half turnovers.

The Redhawks, who forced 27 turnovers, wound up shooting 46.8 percent after a 53.6-percent second half.

"I'm seeing more and more good things," Edgar said.

The best thing the Redhawks saw Saturday was a 1-0 OVC record.

"That's all we care about," Johnson said.