Southeast women increase offensive output in loss

~ The Redhawks surpassed their season average by nearly 19 points in an 85-69 loss

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team had one of its best offensive performances of the season.

Unfortunately for the Redhawks, Morehead State's Allie Turner had by far the best offensive performance of her young college career.

Turner, a freshman guard, scored all 24 of her points in the second half as the Eagles pulled away late to win 85-69 at the Show Me Center on Thursday.

Southeast (5-11, 1-5), which suffered its fourth straight Ohio Valley Conference loss, is tied for eighth in the 10-team league.

MSU (12-5, 5-2) is in third place after finishing second last year and being picked second in the preseason poll. The Eagles are just one-half game out of first place.

"I told our team after the game that normally 69 points is enough to win," Southeast coach John Ishee said.

The Redhawks, averaging an OVC-worst 50.1 points per game entering play, scored just six points over the first nine minutes.

But Southeast reached a season-high point total against a Division I opponent and gave the Eagles a run for their money until late.

"We definitely did better offensively. We had a lot of players have good offensive nights," sophomore forward Katie Norman said.

Southeast, however, had no answer for the 5-foot-4 Turner, who had been averaging 5.1 points and had made 15 3-pointers all season.

Turner doubled her previous high point total as she made 6 of 11 3-pointers and 6 of 6 free throws. She was 6 of 9 from beyond the arc in the second half.

"She definitely had a career night," Southeast sophomore forward Bailie Roberts said.

Ishee said Turner getting so open was due to the fact the explosive Eagles have so many potent weapons, led by senior guard Chynna Bozeman and sophomore forward Ashar Harris.

Bozeman, the reigning OVC player of the year, was held to 12 points, more than five below her average.

The 5-11 Harris, the OVC's leading rebounder at more than 11 per game, had 20 points and 18 boards.

"A lot of that was us having to lock up on 2 [Bozeman] and 5 [Harris]," Ishee said. "Credit Morehead, they were finding the open player and knocking down shots."

Said Norman: "That's what makes them so good, all of them can shoot it. They can penetrate and kick the ball out."

Junior guard Linda Dixon also had a double-double for Morehead with 15 points and 14 rebounds as the Eagles owned the boards by a 52-35 count.

"That's embarrassing," Norman said. "We've been outrebounded every game."

Norman led Southeast with 16 points, 12 in the second half. Roberts tied her season high with 14 points to go along with a team-leading six rebounds.

Sophomore forward Brittany Harriel, sophomore guard Jasmine Davis and junior guard Karley Evans all added nine points. Sophomore center Courtney Shiffer contributed seven points, three blocks and three steals.

The Redhawks fell behind 10-2 and 15-6, recovered to take a three-point lead but trailed 30-25 at halftime.

Southeast scored the first eight points of the second half to go up 33-30. The lead changed hands three times and there were four ties before MSU went ahead for good at 43-40 on Dixon's 3-pointer with 14 minutes, 19 seconds left.

The Redhawks stayed within range but Turner stayed hot, making four of her 3-pointers over the final 8:34. One of her biggest baskets came immediately after Norman's 3-pointer sliced the deficit to 62-58 with 4:37 remaining.

Turner answered with a 3-pointer about 30 seconds later to make it 65-58. Southeast got no closer as MSU hit 12 of 12 free throws -- six by Turner -- over the final 1:43.

"I was proud of the way we battled back," Ishee said following a game that featured 10 lead changes and five ties. "I thought we played better, we just didn't play good enough to beat this team tonight."

Southeast finishes a three-game OVC homestand at 6 p.m. Saturday against last-place Eastern Kentucky.

"We're sick of losing," Roberts said. "We have got to find a way to win."