One step closer, one to go

~ The defending champion Redhawks are one win away from another NCAA berth.

Southeast 57, Samford 51

By Marty mishow

Southeast Missourian

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- This sensational season for the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team has been, among other things, marked by an ability to come through with games on the line.

Southeast Missouri State guard Sonya Daugherty, left, found her path blocked by Samford's Megan Wilderotter, background center, and Chelsee Insell on Friday in the second half of their Ohio Valley Conference semifinal game in Nashville, Tenn. (MARK HUMPHREY ~ Associated Press)

The Redhawks again used that formula -- along with their normally stout defense and dominant rebounding -- to advance to their third straight Ohio Valley Conference tournament final.

Top-seeded Southeast, the OVC regular-season champion, used a late 8-0 run to slip past fourth-seeded Samford 57-51 Friday in a semifinal game at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Defending tournament champion Southeast (23-7) will meet second-seeded Murray State (21-8) at 3 p.m. today for the title and the OVC's automatic NCAA tournament berth.

The Redhawks won the OVC tournament last season for the first time, after falling in the championship game two years ago.

"This is what you play all season for," Southeast acting head coach John Ishee said. "We're one game away, but that's a big one."

Samford forward Veronica Pike (22) fought for a rebound with Southeast Missouri State's Missy Whitney in the second half of their Ohio Valley Conference semifinal basketball game Friday at the OVC tournament in Nashville, Tenn. (MARK HUMPHREY ~ Associated Press)

Friday's triumph set a school record for single-season wins on the Division I level, surpassing the 22 victories attained by Southeast each of the past two years.

And it was accomplished in typical clutch fashion. With the game hanging in the balance late, the Redhawks seemed to come up with all the key plays.

Southeast is now 10-1 this season in games against conference opponents that have been decided by eight points or less.

"I think, for the most part, this team is mentally tough," Ishee said. "The more you get in those situations, the better you become at them."

Conventional thinking would seem to suggest that the Redhawks would not fare so well in close contests, because they returned only two players with experience from last year's team that captured the program's initial OVC regular-season and tournament titles.

"Part of it is confidence, and the other part is not wanting to lose," said sophomore point guard Tarina Nixon, Southeast's only returning starter from a year ago. "I think a lot of it is the experience of knowing we've done it so many times before."

Added senior center Lachelle Lyles, the Redhawks' only other experienced player from last season: "I just think we want it more than the other teams."

Sophomore guard Sonya Daugherty, who saw limited action last year but is now the Redhawks' leading scorer, paced Southeast with 20 points.

Daugherty hit just six of 19 field goal attempts, but made eight of 12 free throws while adding three assists and two steals. She scored 16 points during Tuesday's 58-54 home win over Austin Peay in the first round of the tournament.

"I thought Sonya was aggressive going to the basket," Ishee said.

Nixon, the OVC's top 3-pointer shooter at better than 42 percent, had 14 points and five assists. Nixon, who scored nine first-half points while Daugherty had 10, made two of four 3-pointers and five of seven shots overall.

"I thought Tarina established the tempo of the game early with her offense," Ishee said.

Junior forward Missy Whitney, a junior college transfer who is Southeast's No. 2 scorer, matched Nixon with 14 points. She also blocked four shots, including three in the late going.

Lyles, the nation's leading rebounder with an average of more than 17 per game, had 20 or more rebounds for the ninth time this season as she grabbed 21.

Lyles, already the league's single-season and single-game rebounding record-holder, needed just two games to break the OVC tournament rebounding mark. She has 40 so far. The old record was 38.

Southeast, the OVC's top rebounding team by a wide margin, hammered Samford 41-26 on the boards.

The Redhawks, who lead the league in field goal percentage defense, held Samford to 37.3 percent (19 of 51). The Bulldogs made just two of 17 3-pointers.

"We've pretty much hung our hat on defense and rebounding all year," Ishee said. "I thought for the most part, we defended like we're capable of."

The game was close throughout, with no lead bigger than seven points.

Southeast, ahead 29-24 at halftime, saw Samford take its first lead of the contest early in the second half.

The lead changed hands eight times before Southeast finally went ahead for good at 46-45 on sophomore forward Rachel Blunt's short jumper with 7 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.

Blunt, who saw limited action last year, scored six points off the bench.

Blunt's basket started an 8-0 Southeast run, as the Redhawks took control by holding Samford scoreless for more than 7 minutes.

Southeast led 52-45 before the Bulldogs finally scored again with less than 2 minutes left.

By that time, it was too late as the Redhawks' advantage never dipped under four points, that being with only 16 seconds left. Nixon's two free throws with 14 seconds to go sealed things.

"It was everything I expected," said Ishee after Southeast beat Samford for the third time this season, all by eight points or less, including one in overtime. "They gave us everything we wanted, but we just made a few more plays."

That's been pretty much the story of the Redhawks' season -- which is why they're just one win away from their second straight NCAA tournament berth.