Redhawks ride defense to win over Eaglettes

~ Southeast pulled within one game of third place with a 53-45 victory.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State took its resurgent defense to another level Saturday night -- and because of that, the Redhawks are back in the Ohio Valley Conference title chase.

The Redhawks shackled Tennessee Tech's explosive offense all game long during a 53-46 road victory that pushed Southeast's season-high winning streak to four.

More importantly, the Redhawks (10-7, 7-3 OVC) moved within one game of first-place Tech (12-5, 8-2), which is now tied for the top spot with Samford. Southeast is in third place, with 10 league contests remaining.

"This is huge for us," said Southeast coach B.J. Smith, whose squad snapped the Eaglettes' five-game winning streak. "We knew if we lost this one, our chances of winning the [regular-season] conference title would not have been very good.

"This puts us back in the hunt. You don't win here very often. I thought we really kept our composure well."

In avenging an 81-77 overtime loss to Tech on Dec. 10 in Cape Girardeau, the Redhawks continued to shine defensively after struggling so much in that area for a large part of the season.

During Thursday's 78-35 romp at Tennessee State that began Southeast's two-game road trip, the Redhawks allowed the fewest points in a contest since moving up to Division I in 1991-92.

But that was against the OVC's worst team. Saturday night's performance came against a perennial OVC power that had been averaging 71.8 points per game.

"Defensively, this was our best game, against a very good offensive team," Smith said. "The key to us not playing well was how we were not guarding. Now the key is the way we are guarding."

Tech entered the contest leading the OVC in field-goal percentage at 45.4. The Eaglettes shot 29.2 percent against Southeast, making 14 of 48 field-goal attempts. Tech hit just one of nine 3-pointers and had 21 turnovers.

"Defense has been the key for us," Southeast senior forward Simone Jackson said. "Coach B.J. always stresses defense. Everybody now understands what he wants us to do.

"This is a big win. It puts us back in the conference race."

Smith was especially pleased that the Redhawks were able to survive despite their offensive problems.

Southeast is the OVC's highest-scoring team, averaging 74.8 points per game prior to Saturday. The Redhawks shot just 40.4 percent (19 of 47) and made only one of 15 3-pointers, while committing 22 turnovers.

"To win, especially playing so poorly offensively, is really big," Smith said. "I thought they defended us well."

Jackson led the Redhawks offensively with 16 points, while senior center Tatiana Conceicao -- the OVC's second-leading scorer -- added 12 points. Senior forward Natalie Purcell paced the rebounders with eight.

Tech senior center Emily Christian, the OVC's leading scorer at 21.1 points per game, had 20 points, but she made just eight of 19 shots after torching Southeast for 31 points in the earlier meeting.

Smith heaped plenty of praise on backup center Lachelle Lyles, a junior college transfer who has been a key player in the Redhawks' winning streak.

Lyles guarded Christian much of the night, especially after Conceicao picked up two first-half fouls. Not only did Lyles -- who was often on the court with Conceicao at the same time -- sparkle defensively, she also had seven points, five rebounds and two blocks.

"I thought Lachelle was our MVP," Smith said. "She made a huge difference. Emily didn't get anything easy."

Senior backup guard Katrisha "Red" Dunn also provided a big lift with five points and three steals.

Dunn hit Southeast's only 3-pointer of the game. It came with 1:30 remaining in the first half and put the Redhawks ahead to stay, 27-24, as they closed the period with a 7-0 run to carry that 27-24 advantage into the break.

Dunn later provided one of the game's biggest plays. Her steal and layup with 1:53 remaining put the Redhawks up 49-42 and ended a Southeast scoring drought of nearly four minutes.

"Red's steal was huge," Smith said. "She always gives us a lift."

After Tech scored the first basket of the second half to close within 27-26, Southeast scored six straight points to go ahead 33-26 and the Redhawks pretty much had control thereafter.

Southeast went ahead 47-38 with under six minutes remaining. After Tech closed to 49-44 with less than a minute left, senior point guard Wanika Owsley hit four straight free throws to make it 53-44 and ice the victory.

Owsley had four of the Redhawks' 16 steals.

"Everybody came out focused and intense," Jackson said. "It was a great win."