Otahkians go cold, fall to Lipscomb

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians simply could not buy a basket for most of the second half Saturday night.

The result was a 52-47 loss to host Lipscomb as the Otahkians fell to 4-4 and had a three-game losing streak snapped. The Bisons improved to 3-3.

Junior center Chandra Brown had nearly half of Southeast's points as she scored 20, including 13 of the Otahkians' 17 second-half points. No other Otahkian scored more than five points. Brown also grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked four shots.

Southeast never trailed in the first half and led 30-27 at the intermission. But the Otahkians scored just six points over the first 12 minutes of the second half as the Bisons took control.

Lipscomb scored the first six points of the final period to go up 33-30 and the Bisons never lost the lead. Lipscomb went ahead by nine points twice, including 49-40 with under four minutes remaining.

Southeast made things interesting with seven straight points, pulling to within 49-47 on a Brown basket. The Otahkians had a chance to tie in the final minute but Brown missed an inside shot.

Lipscomb hit one of two free throws with 15 seconds left to make it 50-47. Southeast turned the ball over with five seconds remaining and two more Lipscomb foul shots sealed the victory.

Senior center Monica Blake led Lipscomb with 12 points.

The Otahkians shot 28.3 percent for the game (17 of 60), including 23.3 percent in the second half (seven of 30). They made only four of 25 3-pointers (16 percent).

Lipscomb shot 31.1 percent in the game (19 of 61).

"We're not a very good basketball team right now," Southeast coach B.J. Smith said. "Defensively we played well enough to win the game, but you can't score 47 points in a Division I basketball game and win."

Southeast returns to action Tuesday night with a game at perennial powerhouse Southwest Missouri State.