Southeast women fall to red-hot Tech

~ The Redhawks lost 62-48 as Tennessee Tech remained unbeaten in the OVC

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team saw its losing streak extend to three by falling at one of the Ohio Valley Conference's top squads.

Tennessee Tech, expected to contend for the OVC title, beat the Redhawks 62-48 on Tuesday in Cookeville, Tenn.

Tech improved to 8-2 overall and 3-0 in OVC play as the Eagles are off to their best 10-game start since the 1989-90 season. Southeast fell to 4-8 and 1-3.

Southeast held a pair of early four-point leads of 7-3 and 9-5 but trailed the final 35 minutes after Tech went ahead 10-9.

The Redhawks kept things close the entire first half and entered the break down 31-25.

Southeast cut the deficit to 31-29 in the opening minute of the final period but the Redhawks went scoreless for more than 10 minutes as the Eagles put up 12 straight points for a 43-29 lead.

The Redhawks got no closer than 11 points and Tech's biggest advantage was 19 points.

Sophomore guard/forward Katie Norman continued her recent strong play by scoring a game-high 17 points. She also led Southeast with six rebounds and four assists.

Norman made 6 of 9 field-goal attempts but the rest of the Redhawks combined to go just 10 of 37 as Southeast shot 34.8 percent.

Sophomore forward Brittany Harriel and junior guard Karley Evans added nine points apiece for Southeast. Evans hit 3 of 5 3-pointers.

Tech also shot 34.8 percent, but the Eagles had a glaring rebounding advantage that proved critical. The Eagles outrebounded Southeast 48-31 -- including 22-5 on the offensive glass -- and had a 22-1 advantage in second-chance points.

Tech's advantage on the boards helped the Eagles attempt 20 more field goals than the Redhawks.

The Eagles also had just 12 turnovers, compared to 20 for Southeast.

Junior guard Tacarra Hayes and 6-foot-5 junior center Brittany Darling each had 13 points and nine rebounds for Tech.

Southeast will host Lindenwood-Belleville on Dec. 30 in its final game before the new year. Lindenwood-Belleville competes in the little-known United States Collegiate Athletic Association.