Eastern Illinois 'buzz saw' chews up Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team

Eastern Illinois has been the Ohio Valley Conference's most successful women's basketball team over the past four-plus years.

The Panthers continued their winning ways Saturday at the expense of Southeast Missouri State by routing the host Redhawks 73-46 behind a career-high 30 points from Mariah King.

"That's a good team," Southeast senior point guard Bianca Beck said. "I've got to give them credit. They did what they had to do."

Southeast fell to 4-14 overall and 1-4 in OVC play, while EIU improved to 12-4 and 3-0 with its fifth straight win. The Panthers are tied for first place in the 11-team league.

EIU entered this season with the OVC's top overall (84-46) and conference (59-15) records during the previous four years. They have the league's best overall mark this season.

Southeast Missouri State's Yelena Rosado looks to shoot against Eastern Illinois' Mariah King during the first half Saturday at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

"We ran into a buzz saw, a really good Eastern Illinois basketball team, which did not surprise me," first-year Southeast coach Ty Margenthaler said. "They're a very solid basketball team. They don't beat themselves. They shoot the ball well and they're experienced."

Margenthaler knew it would take an almost perfect performance to upset the Panthers, who came to the Show Me Center owning five consecutive wins over Southeast.

Southeast was far from perfect, getting into early foul trouble, shooting poorly and being beaten soundly on the boards.

"We took some good shots, but we needed to do more as far as everything," Beck said. "What we did wasn't enough."

Junior center Courtney Shiffer scored on two nice moves around the basket in the opening minute to help Southeast build a quick 4-0 lead.

But Shiffer picked up two fouls less than three minutes into the contest. She played only nine minutes before halftime.

Beck played only eight minutes in the opening period after being saddled with three fouls. Several other Southeast players also were in first-half foul trouble.

"Sitting on the bench, not being able to contribute, it's a lesson learned," Beck said. "I just didn't put my team in a good position being in foul trouble."

EIU scored 11 straight points to go ahead 17-6 after Southeast led 4-0 and 6-4.

It wasn't much of a contest after that.

The Panthers built a 43-25 halftime advantage. The margin never dipped under 18 points in the final period, and EIU led by as many as 33 points.

"I think we're starting to play better," said EIU coach Brady Sallee, who was not happy with his squad's previous outing, a three-point win at SIU Edwardsville. "Our ball movement was better."

King, a 6-foot-2 junior forward who was a second-team all-OVC pick last season, entered play averaging 13.7 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds.

King matched her season high of 22 points in the first half. She hit all eight of her field-goal attempts.

"She's a good player. She was rebounding, she was scoring, she was doing everything," Beck said. "I give her credit."

King finished 11 of 13 from the floor and 7 of 10 from the free-throw line while pulling down eight rebounds. Most of her baskets were from in close, but she also hit a few outside shots, including one 3-pointer.

"It was the way my players screened for me," King said. "I applaud my teammates."

Junior point guard Ta'Kenya Nixon, already a two-time first-team all-OVC selection, added 15 points for EIU. She made 6 of 7 shots.

Southeast was paced by junior forward Bailie Roberts with 11 points and seven rebounds.

The Redhawks shot 24.6 percent and made just 2 of 21 3-pointers (9.5 percent).

"I thought we had a lot of good looks," Margenthaler said.

EIU shot 41.4 percent and hit 4 of 9 from beyond the arc (44.4 percent).

The Panthers out-rebounded Southeast 52-39.

"We have to take this game and learn from it. We're learning. We're growing. We have to stay patient," Margenthaler said. "We're still battling to get over that hump, trying to find that confidence."

The Redhawks conclude a stretch that has them playing five of their first six OVC games at home when SIU Edwardsville visits Monday for a 7 p.m. tipoff.