Redhawks come up short against Western Illinois

The SEMO women’s basketball team was defeated by the Western Illinois Leathernecks 70-59 on Saturday at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks were led on offense by Jaliyah Green who finished with 19 points, followed close behind by Kiyley Flowers with 16.

Each team struggled to find their offensive rhythm early but once they did in the back half of the quarter the points filled up quickly. The difference in the quarter proved to be Western Illinois heating up from three while the Redhawks were finishing tough twos inside, the Leathernecks led 20-16 after the first.

In the second quarter, Western Illinois shot over 50% from three and the field as a whole while SEMO shot just 37% from the field and 25% from three. The Redhawks found themselves down 39-30 at the half and a small push at the end of the quarter made SEMO lucky to be down just nine.

Redhawks head coach Rekha Patterson said the team started good but foul trouble and missed shots hurt them.

“I thought we had a good start, but we got in foul trouble and that changed the tempo, that changed our composure and our poise,” Patterson said. “I thought we battled back and then when you have to make shots, you have to make shots. We got exactly what we wanted, we got the looks that wanted but the name of the game is basketball, putting the ball in the hole.”

At the beginning of the third quarter, Western Illinois starting center Alissa Dins picked up her third foul and sat the rest of the quarter. During this time SEMO managed to get the lead down to two several times, but some late fouls gave the Leathernecks free throws and they extended the lead back to six at 53-47.

The Redhawks opened the final quarter on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to one and forced Western Illinois into a quick timeout. The Leathernecks answered back with a 5-0 run of their own to put the lead back to six and force SEMO into a timeout. Dins came back in for Western Illinois and the Redhawks went ice cold offensively which led to the Leathernecks running away with the win.

Patterson said after the lead was cut to one the Redhawks started turning the ball over too much and flipped momentum to the opponent.

“We started turning the ball over, we had a couple of bad turnovers and that gave them some momentum because actually our defense was good at that point,” Patterson said. “But that turnover there where they stole it and scored at the other end, that kind of got them going and I don't think they ever stopped. That definitely deflated us.”

SEMO will be back in action at the Show Me Center on Feb. 8 at 5:15 p.m. when they take on the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.