Redhawks end Classic with 79-66 victory win

~ Southeast shook off a double-overtime loss to defeat Henderson State in the Thanksgiving Classic.

Coming off a physically and mentally draining double overtime loss on Friday night, the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team seemed destined to come out sluggish against NCAA Division II Henderson State on Saturday night at the Show Me Center.

While the Redhawks were not sharp at points in the game, they did enough to pull out a 79-66 win to finish 1-1 in the Healthpoint Plaza Thanksgiving Classic.

Southeast improved to 2-2 overall. Henderson State, an elite eight qualifier last year, fell to 3-1.

"I knew we were going to have a battle," Southeast coach B.J. Smith said. "Our kids were tired after the game last night. We had a hangover; I knew we would, but we'll take it."

Henderson State's only lead came at 2-0, but the Redhawks could not put the Reddies away until the final minute of the game. The Reddies stayed in the game thanks to a 31-for-37 performance from the free throw line. In the second half alone, the Reddies hit 23-of-27 free throws.

"They kept themselves in the game at the free-throw line," Smith said. "Well, we kept them in the game from the line."

Tatiana Conceicao, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and preseason OVC Player of the Year, helped keep the Redhawks in front by posting a career-high 30 points and 10 rebounds. Up by a slim 66-64 margin with 3:24 remaining, Conceicao scored seven of Southeast's final 13 points to help the Redhawks pull away to the 13-point final margin.

"We had an advantage inside," Conceicao said of her night.

Along with Conceicao's 30 points, Simone Jackson added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Redhawks. Jackson was able to beat her defender off the dribble throughout the game.

"The lanes were open; I just had to dribble before the help," Jackson said.

Added Smith: "Simone Jackson was phenomenal. Simone is explosive off the dribble. Normally Simone's a good free-throw shooter, if she shoots free throws tonight she would have been in the mid-20s."

Jackson was just 1-for-9 from the line for the Redhawks, who were 22-for-37 overall. Conceicao hit 10-of-12 free throws. Natalie Purcell added 12 points for the Redhawks, all on 3-pointers.

Keisha Blackwell led the Reddies with 25 points, and Shondra Bush added 14 points.

The win moved Southeast to 2-1 on its current four-game homestand. The Redhawks will face Southern Illinois at the Show Me Center on Tuesday, before traveling to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Friday. Southeast has just two games remaining before OVC play begins.