Exhilarating win at EKU

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State hasn't had many close calls during its 10-game winning streak.

Saturday's contest was as close as it gets -- yet the Redhawks emerged unscathed.

Southeast rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit, and a five-point overtime hole, to beat host Eastern Kentucky 87-86 on senior center Tatiana Conceicao's layup with 6.9 seconds remaining.

"What a great basketball game," Southeast coach B.J. Smith said. "Our kids just fought. That's a great win."

The Redhawks (16-7, 13-3) remained in second place in the 11-team Ohio Valley Conference. They trail Tennessee Tech by one-half game, but the squads are tied on the loss side.

"Oh my God, what a game," Conceicao said. "We kept fighting so hard."

Senior forward Natalie Purcell led the Redhawks with 25 points and she delivered a double-double with 13 rebounds.

Senior forward Simone Jackson scored 18 points and had seven assists, Conceicao added 16 points, and senior guard Katrisha "Red" Dunn contributed 11 points off the bench, including some crucial big plays late.

"We had a lot of players step up," Smith said. "Natalie and Red really made a lot of great plays."

EKU (6-17, 6-10), which stunned Southeast last year with a double-overtime triumph in the championship game of the OVC tournament -- after needing a shot at the regulation buzzer to force overtime -- is having a surprisingly down season.

But the Colonels have pushed the Redhawks to the wire twice this season, including 84-78 in Cape Girardeau on Jan. 2.

"They played a great game," Conceicao said. "They got us last year in the tournament and it really hurt. This one feels good."

Southeast has tied its longest winning streak on the Division I level, as last year's team also posted 10 straight victories.

And the latest triumph came on the heels of Friday's news that Southeast's administration has requested the OVC to investigate potential NCAA violations within Smith's program.

"With all that's going on, it feels good to win this one," Smith said. "We haven't even told our players about it yet. I'm sure they'll read about it."

A first half that featured five ties and 12 lead changes ended with EKU ahead 35-34.

The Colonels came out on fire to begin the second half and built two 15-point leads, including 57-42 with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Southeast, after getting within 59-56, still found itself behind 66-56 with less than 5 minutes left.

But the Redhawks kept coming. Dunn made two clutch 3-pointers, including one with 1:05 to play that forged a 73-73 tie.

EKU went back ahead 75-73, but Purcell drove for a basket with 18 seconds left to make it 75-75.

The Redhawks then had to hold their collective breath as EKU junior center Fatai Hala'Api'Api was fouled on a follow shot from in close with 2.4 seconds remaining. Just a 36 percent free-throw shooter on the season entering the game, she missed both attempts.

Southeast could not get off a final shot before the buzzer, so it was on to overtime.

EKU scored the first five points of the 5-minute extra period -- including two free throws by Hala'Api'Api -- to lead 80-75.

Dunn's 3-pointer with 3:25 left made it 80-78. Dunn then came up with a steal, was fouled and hit both free throws for an 80-80 tie with 2:59 remaining.

Purcell made two foul shots at the 2:20 mark to put Southeast ahead 82-80 for the Redhawks' first lead since late in the opening half.

EKU came back with four straight points to go up 84-82 -- but the thrills were just beginning.

Purcell's 3-pointer with 28 seconds left put Southeast ahead 85-84, but Hala'Api'Api's layup with 20 seconds left gave EKU the advantage back.

The Redhawks then pulled out the victory with Conceicao scoring on a layup with 6.9 seconds left.

Dunn stole the ensuing inbounds pass and EKU was not able to foul her before time expired.

Hala'Api'Api paced EKU with 17 points. The Colonels shot 56.7 percent from the field (34 of 60), while the Redhawks shot 43.9 percent (29 of 66).

But the Redhawks made five more 3-pointers than EKU, and they also made six more free throws.

"EKU's post players were really hard to stop, and so were their guards," Smith said. "I think you just have to give them a lot of credit. But we just kept fighting and pulled it out."