Chase finds her touch, runs Otahks past Tech

Lori Chase almost single-handedly helped Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians overcome another slow start and finally notch a victory over Tennessee Tech.

Chase, a senior forward and one of Southeast's few returning players, poured in 18 first-half points and finished with a season-high 32 as the Otahkians held off the Eaglettes 86-80 Saturday night at the Show Me Center.

Southeast improved to 12-6 overall and 6-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference and moved into a second-place tie with Eastern Kentucky. Tech, the two-time defending OVC regular-season champion, fell to 7-11 and 2-5.

"I started hitting, and coach just told me to keep shooting," Chase said.

Chase made 10 of 17 field-goal attempts, including five of nine 3-pointers. She was also seven of nine from the free-throw line and grabbed seven rebounds as the Otahkians finally beat Tech after losing the past seven meetings.

"It's my first win over Tech, and it's really exciting," Chase said, smiling.

Said Southeast coach B.J. Smith, "Lori played phenomenal. It's great for her and LaShelle Porter to finally beat Tennessee Tech. I know they've been wanting to do that."

Chase and Porter are Southeast's only two seniors and two of just three Otahkians who returned from last season.

"I was happy for Lori. She's a tough kid, and she had a great game," Tech coach Bill Worrell said. "They've got a nice team."

The Otahkians fell behind early in their last two home games before rolling to decisive victories.

Saturday's contest held a similar early pattern once Tech built a 19-13 lead midway through the opening half.

But Chase hit consecutive 3-pointers to pull Southeast into a 19-19 tie. Tech went back ahead 23-21, but another Chase 3-pointer made it 24-23 Southeast with 5:40 left before halftime, and the Otahkians held the lead the rest of the way.

A Chase basket from in close made it 36-27 with just over two minutes remaining, and the Otahkians led 40-31 at the break.

Tech, which uses a host of freshman in its rebuilding phase, pulled to within 70-69 with 6:43 left after trailing by 11 early in the period.

The Eaglettes also closed to within 72-71 at 4:38, but Yashika Sidbury answered with a 3-pointer, Kenja White scored from in close and White made two free throws to put Southeast ahead 79-71.

Tech still wouldn't go away and made it 83-80 on Emily Christian's follow shot with 41 seconds remaining.

White made one of two free throws with 38 seconds left and Chase hit two foul shots at the 22-second mark to help Southeast hold on.

"You have to give Tennessee Tech credit. They hung tough," Smith said. "We didn't guard very well, but they execute really well. I thought our girls did a good job of keeping their composure in the last couple of minutes. You've got to be able to win games like this."

Chase, an all-OVC selection the past two seasons as she led the Otahkians in scoring both years, entered Saturday's contest second on the squad with an average of 13.4 points. She said she feels comfortable in the new up-tempo style brought in by first-year coach Smith.

"It's a different style than we've played in the past, run and gun, but we played this way in high school so I'm used to it," Chase said.

Added Smith, "Lori has really adjusted well. And the more we play, the better she's getting. She's really good offensively, maybe our most consistent shooter."

White, a junior guard averaging a team-high 14.3 points before Saturday, added 18 points, 14 coming in the second half. White also had five assists.

Junior point guard Sarah Costello also was in double figures for the Otahkians with 10 points. She added four steals.

Porter contributed four assists to go along with six points.

Christian, a freshman center, matched Chase by scoring 32 points, 24 in the second half. She hit 15 of 20 shots.

Also in double figures for the Eaglettes were Jenna Baltimore with 12 points and Andrea Brown with 11.

"We're young but our future is bright," Worrell said.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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