Redhawks suffer Technical KO, fall 88-60 to OVC champions

~ Southeast suffered its third loss of the season to Tennessee Tech.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech rarely loses at home, and with a berth in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament semifinals on the line, the Eagles figured to be extra tough to beat.

Sixth-seeded Southeast Missouri State felt the Eagles wrath in a major way Tuesday night, as coach Scott Edgar's first season with the Redhawks came to a crashing end.

The Redhawks trailed by 14 points at halftime of the first-round tournament game -- and that was basically the good news.

Tech built its lead to 27 points just seven minutes into the second half, and the third-seeded Eagles crushed the Redhawks 88-60.

The Eagles (19-12) advanced to play second-seeded Eastern Kentucky Friday night in Nashville, Tenn.

Southeast finished Edgar's rookie campaign with an 11-20 record, as the Redhawks lost five of their last six games.

"The way it ended is disappointing," Edgar said. "I sensed we were a little tight all day long. Maybe it was the tournament, maybe it was the opponent."

Edgar knew the Redhawks faced an especially difficult challenge Tuesday, because Southeast had lost seven straight games to Tech in the Eblen Center, last winning on the Eagles' court during the 1999-2000 season.

Form held as Tech posted its 11th straight home victory and improved to 13-1 at the Eblen Center this season.

"I don't know who'll win the tournament, but we played the best team in the league," Edgar said. "They are very talented, and they are especially tough to beat here."

The Redhawks did not help themselves with a performance that featured 34.9-percent shooting from the field (22 of 63), including 25.9 percent from 3-point range (seven of 27).

Throw in 22 turnovers, along with the fact Tech blistered the nets at a 60.4-percent clip (32 of 53), and it added up to by far the Redhawks' most lopsided loss to a conference opponent this season.

Southeast's previous biggest defeat against a league foe had been by 18 points at home against Murray State.

The Redhawks also scored their fewest points against a conference team this year. Their previous low had been 61 points.

"We just didn't play well," senior guard Terrick Willoughby said. "We had high hopes that we could come in here and win, so it's disappointing to end the season this way, especially as a senior."

Southeast, which lost all three meetings to Tech this season -- 91-76 on the road and 87-80 at home -- were led offensively by junior forward Brandon Foust with 10 points.

Junior center Dionte Perry scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds to match his career high in the rebounding department for the second straight game.

Senior guard Belton Rivers, the OVC's leading scorer at 18 points per game, had 17 points for the Eagles.

Tech junior guard Anthony Fisher, the OVC's No. 3 scorer with a 17.3 average, also netted 17 points.

The Redhawks held an early three-point lead, and the squads were tied 14-14 midway through the first half when the Eagles began to take charge.

Tech scored 11 straight points to go ahead 25-14 and Southeast never really got back in the game.

It was 38-24 at halftime and 56-29 seven minutes into the second half. The Eagles built a 71-37 bulge with under nine minutes left, and their largest lead was 84-48.

"To lose by 30 ..." said junior guard Paul Paradoski, shaking his head. "The start of the second half is where we lost it. We just weren't making stops."

Southeast junior center Mike Rembert, the Redhawks' leading rebounder and No. 3 scorer, tried to go on a bum knee that had forced him to miss the previous five games.

But Rembert, coming off the bench, played just two first-half minutes and did not take the court in the second half.

"I thought we played well, but SEMO just didn't make shots, and it's different when they don't have Mike [Rembert] out there," Tech coach Mike Sutton said.

Despite the way the season ended, Edgar said he is not discouraged by the way his first year at Southeast went, and he believes the future is bright.

The Redhawks will return their top three scorers and have talented Colorado transfer Calvin Williams eligible after he practiced with the team all season.

"I'm very optimistic with what we can do next year," Edgar said.