OTAHKS FIND ROAD UNKIND ONCE AGAIN

MURRAY, Ky. -- The road has not been a friendly place for Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team so far this season during Ohio Valley Conference play.

Southeast dropped its fourth straight OVC road game Saturday, going cold down the stretch during a 54-49 loss to Murray State.

The Otahkians are now 5-9 overall and 2-4 in OVC play. The Lady Racers improved to 5-10 overall and 3-3 in the league.

Southeast has had a chance to win all four of its league road games so far, losing by a total of just 19 points. But that is of little consolation to Otahkian coach Ed Arnzen.

"It's been the same story," said Arnzen. "We play well enough in the first half to either have a lead or be close. Then in the second half we don't have enough intensity to stay on top.

"It's frustrating. We have to find a way to win these games. We dropped two on the road this week (Southeast lost by six points at Tennessee-Martin Thursday after leading by 10 at halftime) and I don't think either club is that good."

Paula Corder-King and Pam Iversen were Southeast's only double-figure scorers Saturday, with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Iversen also pulled down nine rebounds. The Otahkians shot just 32 percent from the field (17 of 54) and had 20 turnovers.

MSU also had two double-figure scorers as Liz Stansberry had 19 points and Heather Bates added 14 to go along with seven assists. Bates also had eight rebounds as the Lady Racers won the board battle 41-34.

The Lady Racers also shot poorly at 40 percent (21 of 53) and they had 25 turnovers.

Arnzen expected a tough and tight contest Saturday and that's exactly what took place. MSU held the game's biggest lead of seven points while Southeast led by six points at one time.

"I think every conference game is going to be tight," Arnzen said. "We're not good enough to beat people bad."

Southeast grabbed a pair of early five-point leads at 7-2 and 9-4, but MSU used a run to open up a five-point bulge of its own at 21-16.

The Otahkians then scored 10 straight points. Iversen's follow shot with 3:34 left in the first half put Southeast ahead 23-21 and the Otahkians opened up their biggest lead of the game as Corder-King's 3-pointer with 46 seconds left made it 29-23.

Southeast carried a 29-24 lead into halftime, but Arnzen felt the Otahkians had let an opportunity get away.

"I really thought we could have put the game away early because I didn't think Murray State came out very intense," Arnzen said. "But we couldn't take advantage of it."

MSU took control over the first 10 minutes of the second half, eventually going up 42-35 on a Bates basket at the midway mark of the final period.

Southeast then used a 9-0 run to surge back ahead. Moneik Campbell's fast-break layup with just under eight minutes left forced a 42-42 tie and LaShelle Porter's fast-break layup with just over six minutes remaining put the Otahkians up 44-42.

But MSU answered back with a 9-0 run of its own -- Southeast went scoreless for more than five minutes -- to finally grab control for good.

Monika Gadson's follow shot with 4:08 left put the Lady Racers ahead to stay at 46-44.