OTAHK `D' GRADE SF AGAINST MIDDLE

Defense -- or a lack of it -- was the primary downfall for Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team Saturday evening.

The Otahkians allowed Middle Tennessee State to get virtually any shot it wanted in a first half that set the tone for the entire contest.

MTSU shot a sizzling 67 percent in the opening 20 minutes, built a 47-35 halftime lead and held off a second-half Southeast charge to post an 89-71 Ohio Valley Conference victory at the Show Me Center.

MTSU improved to 7-5 overall and 3-1 in OVC play. Southeast, which suffered its third straight loss, fell to 4-8 overall, 2-3 in the league.

"We score 71 points and you should win with that at home," said a disappointed Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "But we just weren't very intense defensively in the first half. They were getting any shot they wanted."

The Lady Raiders hit 22 of 33 from the field in the first half and wound up 36 of 60 (60 percent).

Southeast was also pretty solid offensively in the first half, shooting 50 percent (12 of 24). The Otahkians finished at 46 percent for the game (24 of 52).

Perfect evidence of Southeast's first-half defensive woes was the fact the Otahkians committed only five fouls in the opening 20 minutes and MTSU did not shoot a free throw during that time.

As Arnzen pointed out, the Otahkians weren't getting close enough on defense to foul anybody in the first half.

"We just let them do whatever they wanted to in the first half," Arnzen said. "They really picked us apart."

The bulk of Southeast's offense came from two players as Rusty Sowers scored 23 points and Jamie Koester had 21.

Sowers hit five of six 3-point shots as the Otahkians were seven of 13 overall from long range.

Koester was nine for 16 from the field overall while Sowers hit seven of 11 shots.

MTSU got more balanced scoring, with five players reaching double figures. Joanne Aluka led the way with 17 points, Kelly Chastain had 15, Bama Burrell 14, Cortney Neeley 13 and Carlita Elder 11.

Burrell and Chastain both hit seven of nine shots while Aluka was eight of 13.

For all their defensive problems in the opening half, the Otahkians were still able to make a game of it.

After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half and by 12 at halftime, the Otahkians mounted a strong second-half charge that saw them close to within five points several times.

Sowers drilled a 3-pointer with 12:24 left to slice MTSU's lead to 60-55.

The Otahkians then had two straight possessions with a chance to draw even closer but they turned the ball over each time.

Still, Southeast was able to pull within five points twice more, at 62-57 and 65-60.

MTSU then scored five straight points to go ahead 70-60. A Jaime Neff 3-pointer made it 70-63 with 7:38 left but that was as close as Southeast could get.

The Lady Raiders outscored the Otahkians 19-8 the rest of the way as they cruised home to victory.