Redhawks grab first OVC win

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Relief was the operative word for the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team Saturday.

The Redhawks finally were able to celebrate a win again, their first since Dec. 10 and their first over a Division I squad since Nov. 21.

The Redhawks' tougher-than-it-sounds 56-41 triumph at Tennessee Tech also was their initial Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season.

"We needed that one in the worst way," said Southeast coach John Ishee, who led the Redhawks to OVC regular-season titles in his two previous years at the school.

Southeast (5-8, 1-2) broke a four-game losing streak and won for only the second time in its past 10 games.

"It's a great relief," senior point guard Tarina Nixon said. "We needed this as a team and we were going to do anything to get it done."

Added senior forward Crysta Glenn: "Finally. It's a big relief."

The Redhawks notched their first road win of the season, while stretching their OVC road winning streak to 14 games dating back to the 2006-07 campaign.

"It felt great to finally win again," senior forward Rachel Blunt said.

Southeast held Tech (3-10, 1-1) to its lowest scoring output of the season as the Redhawks matched their season low for points allowed.

"Our team defense, that was the bottom line," Ishee said. "We also rebounded and we made some shots."

The Redhawks received a boost from the return of Nixon, who missed the past three games with a finger injury that has hampered her most of the season.

Although freshman Bianca Beck ran the point much of the contest, Nixon provided a lift with her leadership, along with 10 points, two assists and two steals.

"It was really good to have Tarina back," Ishee said.

Nixon said she was excited to be back on the court, and added that Beck playing a lot at the point helped take pressure off her finger.

"It's always hard watching from the sidelines," Nixon said. "It's still sore, but it's tolerable. It's conference. You have to suck it up.

"It's so hard to dribble. It's hard enough to shoot, but not having to dribble so much helped."

Senior wing Sonya Daugherty narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high 12 rebounds. She also had a career-high seven assists.

"Sonya rebounded great and she played really good defense, too," Ishee said.

Glenn led the Redhawks with 15 points, while sophomore wing Lauren Sharpe added 11 points and three steals.

"We got a lot of help from a lot of people," Ishee said. "It was a total team effort."

Despite the 15-point margin, the game was close much of the way.

Southeast led 27-19 at halftime, but Tech rallied to go ahead 31-29 early in the second half.

The squads were tied 35-35 with under 13 minutes to play when Southeast grabbed control.

A 3-pointer by senior reserve guard Tierra Johnson with 10:27 remaining put Southeast ahead for good at 38-35 and started a game-ending 21-6 burst.

Johnson, whose 3-pointer was her only basket of the night in 10 minutes, had been 1 of 14 from beyond the arc this season.

"Tierra hit a huge shot at a time when we were struggling to score," Ishee said.

Southeast held Tech to six points over the final 12:28.

"We played probably the best help defense we've played in a long time," Blunt said. "And our offense fed off our defense.

"We were clicking on all cylinders."

The Redhawks conclude their road trip Monday in Alabama with a 5:30 p.m. game against Jacksonville State (3-9, 0-2).

Noteworthy

• Sophomore reserve guard Tore Fite, who was academically ineligible for the first semester and has played in just three games, did not make the road trip.

Ishee said it was his decision to keep Fite back in Cape Girardeau.

"She just didn't do enough in the week to make the travel squad," Ishee said.