OTAHKIANS WIN IMPORTANT OVC SHOWDOWN WITH EASTERN ILLINOIS

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- For the second straight game Saturday, Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team erased a halftime deficit to prevail.

And the latest rally, which resulted in an 89-75 victory over host Eastern Illinois, could not have come at a better time for the Otahkians as they took a major step toward qualifying for the Ohio Valley Conference postseason tournament.

Southeast and EIU entered Saturday's action tied for eighth place in the 10-team OVC, both just one-half game behind seventh-place Tennessee State. The top eight finishers earn berths in the league tourney.

The Otahkians are now 10-15 overall and 6-10 in OVC play while the Lady Panthers fell to 7-17 overall and 5-11 in the league. Coupled with Tennessee State's loss to Middle Tennessee, Southeast has moved into sole possession of seventh place with just two games remaining.

"This is just a really big boost for us," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen, whose squad recorded its first OVC road win of the season. "We've got two more to go, but this puts us right there in a good position to get in the tournament, and once you get there, who knows, anything can happen.

"I think we went through a period of mourning with the loss of Pam (Iversen), but against Belmont (a comeback win Wednesday night) I think we woke up and realized we could play."

Iversen, the Otahkians' second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, recently suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Three freshmen guards -- Kristy Roherty, Jennifer Gries and LaShelle Porter -- came off the bench to help spark the Otahkians' rally from a 39-31 halftime deficit after EIU had led by 11 points late in the first half.

Gries hit consecutive 3-pointers to pull Southeast to within 53-52, then Porter's steal and basket with 11 minutes left put the Otahkians up 54-53 for their first lead since midway through the opening half.

EIU briefly went back ahead 55-54, but a Gries 10-footer put Southeast up 56-55 and the Otahkians would not trail again.

The Lady Panthers did manage to forge a 64-64 tie, but senior guard Moneik Campbell put the Otahkians ahead to stay at 67-64 by drilling a 3-pointer with just under six minutes remaining.

After EIU got a free throw, Roherty drained consecutive 3-pointers as Southeast opened up a 73-65 lead and the Otahkians cruised the rest of the way.

"We were sparked by the freshmen off the bench," Arnzen said. "They not only hit big shots, they really speeded us up."

Roherty led all scorers with a career-high 19 points, 14 coming in the second half. She hit four of six 3-pointers in the final 20 minutes and finished five of nine from long range.

Another freshman, starting forward Lori Chase, scored 15 points, 11 coming in the first half to help keep the Otahkians within striking distance.

Paula Corder-King had 13 points, Regan Hughston added 12 and Campbell contributed 10 points and seven assists. Gries got all nine of her points in the second half.

Renee Schaul led five EIU players in double figures with 15 points.

Southeast, after shooting just 34 percent in the first half (12 of 35), sizzled at 63 percent over the final 20 minutes (20 of 32). The Otahkians made eight of 14 3-pointers in the second half after sinking just two of 10 in the opening period.

"It was a great comeback for us," said Arnzen. "Like the game against Belmont, we were able to shoot the ball, which always makes you look good. And our defense picked up quite a bit in the second half."