Slow start dooms Redhawks

~ Tennessee TEch won 82-73 as it defeated Southeast for the 13th straight time

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team couldn't have envisioned a worse start to Saturday night's Ohio Valley Conference game.

Southeast saw visiting Tennessee Tech score 16 of the first 18 points and eventually build an 18-point lead.

The Redhawks made several strong second-half charges but couldn't come all the way back as they lost 82-73.

Southeast fell to 4-9 overall and 1-2 in OVC play. Tech, which beat Southeast for the 13th straight time, is 7-6 and 1-1.

Southeast Missouri State's Laquentin Miles takes a shot over Tennessee Tech defenders Bassey Inameti, left, and Frank Davis, right, Saturday, January 2, 2010 at the Show Me Center. (LAURA SIMON)

"We dug ourselves a big hole," junior guard Sam Pearson said. "I think like 10 minutes off the clock and we only had two points."

It actually took Southeast nearly nine minutes to get off that two-point total, but the Redhawks were doomed to fighting an uphill battle the entire night.

"I'm just disappointed," Southeast coach Dickey Nutt said. "I give them credit. They hit some big shots and did what was necessary to win.

"But I'm disappointed in our opening. The first 10 minutes, we didn't show up. We might as well have stayed in the locker room."

Nutt liked the fight the Redhawks showed in the second half as twice they pulled within three points and were down only four points with under three minutes left and again in the final minute.

Tennessee Tech's Elijah Muhammad and Southeast Missouri State's LaMont Russell struggle for control of the ball.

But the Redhawks never could catch up.

"I was pleased after that [the first 10 minutes]. We had a lot of good effort plays," Nutt said. "But it's a hard hole to dig out of. We just never could get over the hump."

The Redhawks missed 9 of their first 10 shots, while Tech hit 6 of its first 11 shots. That allowed the Eagles to build up a 16-2 lead which they expanded to 30-12 late in the half.

Southeast's futility in the opening period was pretty much summed up in the final seconds when the Redhawks, who had trimmed their deficit to 10 points, forced a turnover under their own basket.

But a long inbound pass was intercepted near mid-court and one pass later Jud Dillard drained a long 3-pointer to send Tech into the locker room with a 36-23 advantage.

Tech built its first-half cushion on 58.3-percent shooting (14 of 24), including 50 percent from 3-point range (5 of 10). On the other end, Southeast shot 33.3 percent (8 of 24).

"We got off to a slow start, but we fought back," junior guard Anthony Allison said.

Allison helped bring Southeast back early in the second half as his two 3-pointers were part of an 8-0 run to start the period as the Redhawks made it 36-31.

Tech appeared to regain control at 48-34, but a 9-0 Southeast burst pulled the Redhawks to 48-43 and Southeast stayed within nine points the rest of the way.

"It always hurts [to fall behind early], but we battled back in the second half," junior forward Jajuan Maxwell said. "We played really hard in the second half."

But every time Southeast would get within a few points of Tech, the Redhawks couldn't finish off the job.

Tech's shooting never cooled off in the second half as the Eagles hit 53.8 percent to finish at 56 percent. They wound up the game making 9 of 16 3-pointers (56.3 percent).

"I thought we guarded them a lot better in the second half but they hit some big shots," Nutt said.

The Eagles were able to nail down the victory from the free- throw line as they made 10 of 12 in the final two minutes.

Southeast was left to lament 12 missed foul shots as the Redhawks hit 24 of 36 compared to 17 of 24 for Tech.

Allison nailed 5 of 7 from 3-point range and led the Redhawks with 17 points. Pearson scored 15 points as he made 9 of 10 free throws.

"Sam and Anthony really provided some good effort plays," Nutt said.

Maxwell, making his first start since the season opener, scored 10 points. So did junior forward Cameron Butler, although Butler was limited to only 15 minutes because of foul problems.

Freshman guard LaQuentin Miles provided a spark off the bench with a season-high seven points and plenty of energy.

"He was outstanding tonight. He had his best game as a Redhawk," Nutt said.

Senior guard Frank Davis led Tech with a game-high 20 points. Davis, who has had plenty of big performances against Southeast, made 6 of 10 from 3-point range.

"Frank Davis likes this team," said Tech coach Mike Sutton.

Falling behind early has been a theme for Southeast at home so far this year. Nutt said the Redhawks need to be tougher mentally.

"I saw the look in our eyes tonight. We're expecting something bad to happen," Nutt said. "Right now I don't see that swagger."

Southeast has another OVC home game Monday against Jacksonville State.

"We're going to come out with a lot more intensity and have a better first half," Maxwell vowed.