Southeast Missouri State women's basketball falls to veteran Southern Illinois team

Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach Rekha Patterson recalled specific back-to-back possessions after her team's Tuesday loss to Southern Illinois.

The possessions -- similar high-low plays for both teams that resulted in a turnover for the Redhawks and then a Saluki basket -- didn't stand out because they were a major turning point in the game or a wasted chance for Southeast in its comeback attempt, but rather Patterson's perfect example to show how the experience of SIU's players came into play in their 87-72 defeat of the rebuilding Redhawks.

While that difference was the key to Southeast dropping to 6-6 on the season, it also served as a measuring stick for Patterson.

"That was a veteran team that executed against us," Patterson said, "but I think we can get to that point this season."

SIU scored the first 13 points of the game, which Southeast sophomore guard Hannah Noe described as "a punch in the gut." The Redhawks finally got on the board with an Imani Johnson basket 4 minutes, 47 seconds into the game, which started a 14-4 Southeast run to pull within 17-14 with 1:30 left in the first.

"There was just a moment where they just said, 'You know what? No, I'm not going to get pushed around,'" Patterson said, "and they stood their ground."

SIU held a 21-15 edge after one and pushed its lead back to 13 midway through the second quarter, but the Redhawks used another 14-4 run, which included a pair of 3-pointers by Noe, to make it 43-40 SIU with 1:56 to play in the half.

Southeast Missouri State's Imani Johnson shoots over Southern Illinois Kim Nebo during the first first quarter Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

A 3-pointer by SIU's Kylie Giebelhausen -- who was 4 of 5 from beyond the arc in the game -- with 48 seconds left in the half gave the Salukis a 46-40 advantage at the break.

"I think we've proved all season long that we're going to continue to fight no matter how much we're down, no matter what team we're playing," Noe said. "To see that still carrying over I think that's big for us, and I think we'll still carry it over when we go into conference play after we play William Woods next week."

The Redhawks cut the deficit to two with 6:35 left in the third on a layup by senior forward Connor King, but it was as close as they'd get the rest of the way.

The Salukis led by as much as 10 in the quarter and were up 60-53 going to the fourth.

Sophomore guard Ashton Luttrull hit a long 3 to beat the shot clock on the first possession of the fourth quarter to cut it to four, but the Salukis responded with eight straight points to make it 56-68.

Southeast never got closer than 10 points the remainder of the way.

Southeast Missouri State coach Rekha Patterson directs her team against Southern Illinois during the third quarter Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

"We talked about toughness and I felt like we didn't really showcase because they got 18 offensive rebounds and there were opportunities where there were loose balls and we did not get them, but that's got to make them hungry," Patterson said. "We have to do those things to win basketball games. Those are the things that'll take a two-point ballgame and you tie it up, and then you have a chance to come down and execute. But we'll get there."

Rishonda Napier led five Salukis who scored in double figures, finishing with 21 points on 6-of-17 shooting to go along with nine assists.

Giebelhausen tied a career high with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Guard Cartaesha Macklin had 15 points and nine boards, center Dyana Pierre had 12 points and seven boards and forward Kim Nebo had 10 points and six rebounds.

"Those three make life really, really hard, so whenever you have to double or when you have to go help that leaves somebody wide open," Patterson said of Napier, Pierre and Macklin. "And they have players who are good enough -- better than good enough -- to knock down shots, and you can't hope that people miss. But you have to pick your poison with them and they do a lot of things well.

Both teams shots 50 percent in the first half. The Salukis shot 40.6 percent in the second while Southeast shot 37.9 percent over the final 20 minutes.

SIU finished 9 of 17 (52.9 percent) from 3-point range.

Jones led Southeast with 17 points -- she was 5 of 8 from the floor and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line -- and six rebounds.

Noe finished with 15 points and five assists while senior forward Erin Bollmann had 11 points and seven rebounds.

SIU held a 45-30 advantage on the glass.

"I feel like we're growing," Jones said. "I feel like we haven't peaked yet, which is a good thing. We're going to go into conference and that'll be the time to step up [to another level]. *... Yes, we lost, but we didn't quit, and in conference all these [lessons from] losses are going to add up and we're going to fight. We have the fight and we have the will to win in us, so we're going to keep that going into conference and William Woods next week."

The Redhawks host Williams Woods for their final non-conference game at 11 a.m. on Dec. 30. Southeast hosts Belmont and Tennessee State on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 to begin Ohio Valley Conference play.

"We will regroup, we will take this break and spend time with family and friends and miss our team," Patterson said, "and then come back and get ready for the best part of the season."