Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team ends five-game slide

Both players and coaches of the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team agreed that it was a much-needed win that the Redhawks picked up Wednesday at the Show Me Center.

Southeast (3-6) never trailed and snapped its five-game losing streak with a 72-50 win against regional-rival SIU Carbondale.

"It's a win I know our team really needed, this kind of win," Southeast coach Ty Margenthaler said. "I was really proud of the effort we displayed and I thought tonight was maybe the first time we played a complete 40 minute game. ... I thought we had a great focus from the tip, and I thought we finished it out really strong as well."

The Redhawks started with an 18-8 run over the first seven minutes, which was capped by eight consecutive points from junior guard Allyson Bradshaw off the bench. Bradshaw, a Notre Dame Regional High School graduate, hadn't seen considerable playing time since Southeast's game against the University of Missouri on Nov. 23 due to an injury. She hit two 3-pointers to give the Redhawks the 10-point lead.

"Just pick up where I left off," Bradshaw said about her expectations coming into the game. "I mean, nothing different. I was still practicing and stuff. I just thought we were going to go in there and work as hard as we can."

The Salukis (1-6) came back to tie it 20-20 with 6 minutes, 32 seconds left in the half, but Southeast answered with a 15-2 burst over the remainder of the half.

A layup by Brittany Harris with 6:17 left in the half broke the deadlock and started a 6-0 run.

"We had a little stretch in the first half where I thought we got a little stagnant -- we were stuck on 20," Margenthaler said. "But for the most part of the game I thought we had good movement and good execution and I was really pleased with the energy level we brought."

SIU never came any closer in the second half as Southeast extended its lead to as many as 25 points with 7:47 left in the game.

The Redhawks had five players score in double figures. Senior forward Patricia Mack had a double-double with 13 points and 18 rebounds, which helped the Redhawks outrebound SIU 53-33.

"That's one of my roles as a captain, and it's a must I do that," Mack said. "I plan to try to do that every game."

Margenthaler said he'd noticed that the losing streak had been especially tough on Mack.

"She's a fifth-year senior, she knows the potential our basketball team has this year," Margenthaler said. "She also knows that we're very, very young, but she knows that she can be a big part and she wants to leave here really knowing that this program is in better hands than when she came in.

"She really went against a great player tonight. [Dyana] Pierre is one of the best post players in the Missouri Valley [Conference] and I thought she did an outstanding job defending and rebounding. She really took this game and took it hard and I was really happy on both ends with Trish."

Pierre scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting and had six rebounds for the Salukis. Azia Washington was the only other Saluki in double-figures with 14 points. She also had eight rebounds.

Olivia Hackmann led Southeast with 14 points and was 2 of 5 from 3-point range. Hackmann also finished with five assists.

"She's a great mid-range player," Margenthaler said. "She can put the ball on the floor, she's strong, she elevates, but she really got in a zone and hit some 3's. If we get her shooting the ball, Jordan [Hunter] shooting the ball and Ally, it's a pretty tough matchup."

Kara Wright finished with 13 points and five assists, and Jordan Hunter and Bradshaw each finished with 10 points.

"My biggest frustration the past few games was I didn't think we were cutting real hard. I didn't think we were being hard to guard, and I thought tonight we were moving better. We were playing well together; we were making the extra pass," Margenthaler said. " ... We were just doing more playing together. We were playing too one-on-one in the past few games and I just thought our team got back to what we do, and we needed that tonight."

Margenthaler said his team has some positives to take away from Wednesday's win into the practices leading up to Saturday's 4:30 p.m. road game against Western Illinois.

"The last two days have been the two toughest practices since I've been at Southeast Missouri State," Margenthaler said. "I've challenged them in every single way you could possibly challenge them, and they responded. We're going to continue to do that every single day.

"The good thing is now, the teaching point is, they know when they're focused and disciplined and we work that hard, good things will happen. We're not going to win them all, but we took a lot out of these last two days."