OTAHKS STUMBLE OUTSIDE OF OVC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- There was bad news and good news for Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team Thursday night.

The bad news was obvious -- a 70-57 loss to host Belmont that snapped the Otahkians' three-game winning streak.

As for the good news -- it was not an Ohio Valley Conference game, so the Otahkians were not saddled with a league defeat.

Still, Southeast coach Ed Arnzen found little consolation in the fact his team lost a non-conference affair.

"Any time they hang a scoreboard in the gym and the game counts, it's important," said Arnzen. "If you don't look at it that way, then you're in the wrong business. Nobody wants to lose."

Southeast actually fell out of sole possession of first place in the OVC Thursday night because Tennessee-Martin and Middle Tennessee both posted league victories, meaning the Otahkians and those two squads are now all 7-2 and tied for the top spot.

The Otahkians fell to 12-5 overall with Thursday's loss that saw them fall behind 33-23 at halftime and never seriously threaten in the second half.

Belmont improved to 13-6, including a perfect 11-0 at home. The Bruins, who have a 17-game home winning streak, are also 4-0 against OVC teams this season, having previously beaten Austin Peay, Murray State and Tennessee State.

"They were a better basketball team tonight," Arnzen said. "Maybe on a different night, it would be different. But they were better in this game.

"They're a good team and they're very good at home. There is a reason they are 11-0 at home. They won't lose much here."

Paula Corder and Pam Iversen both scored 12 points to lead the Otahkians, who also got 10 points off the bench from Reagan Hughston. Iversen pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

Jessica Matson paced the Bruins with 16 points. Also in double figures were Denise Farrell with 14 and Leah Primm with 12.

The Otahkians got off to a solid start and opened up a five-point lead with just under 11 minutes left in the first half.

But Belmont used an 11-3 run to grab a lead it would not relinquish.

From their 33-23 halftime lead, the Bruins opened up a 15-point advantage early in the second half. The Otahkians climbed to within eight points but could get no closer.