Southeast women pound JSU for second time this season

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team posted its most lopsided win of the season against Jacksonville State when the squads met Jan. 5.

Things didn't get much better for JSU in Thursday's rematch.

Southeast jumped on visiting JSU from the start and romped 57-37.

That margin of victory fell just short of the 82-60 thumping the Redhawks put on the Gamecocks less than a month ago in Alabama.

"It seems like every time we play them, for whatever reason, we jump on them early," said senior forward Rachel Blunt following Southeast's seventh straight victory over JSU. "It's nice to have momentum going early in the game and ride that wave."

The Redhawks evened their record at 10-10 and improved their Ohio Valley Conference mark to 6-4.

Southeast remained in sixth place in the 10-team OVC, but the Redhawks are just one game out of third place.

"It's one of those years where a lot of teams are log jammed in there," Blunt said. "We've got to take care of business to finish where we want."

After being shredded by first-place Murray State's potent offense in their most recent outing, the Redhawks' normally stingy defense got back on track.

The Redhawks held ninth-place JSU (4-16, 1-9) to 30.6 percent shooting as they allowed a season-low point total. Southeast also forced 26 turnovers, 16 coming off steals.

"We focused on that [defense] a lot in practice," guard Tore Fite said.

With the game a blowout most of the way, Ishee was able to clear his bench, which allowed JSU to make the final score more respectable.

All 14 Southeast players saw action, with 13 playing at least eight minutes.

"You've got to get minutes to get better," said Ishee, whose squad led 50-22 before JSU ended the game on a 15-7 spurt over the final 7:19. "You can practice all you want, but you've got to get minutes."

With nobody playing more than 23 minutes, only one Redhawk scored in double figures.

Senior wing Sonya Daugherty got all 12 of her points in the first half before playing just one second-half minute.

Sophomore wing Lauren Sharpe added nine points, the same total Fite had off the bench.

Fite, who added four rebounds and two steals, was Southeast's second-leading scorer in the first half with seven points.

Fite, academically ineligible the first semester, played in just her 10th game of the season after seeing limited action last year.

"Overall she's still a work in progress, but she's very talented," Ishee said. "We need her to continue to grow and get better."

Fite said she came back with a renewed passion for basketball after missing the first semester.

"It's stronger than it was. Having to sit out does something to you," said Fite, who hit both of her 3-point attempts in the first half. "I'm getting more comfortable."

Southeast scored the first seven points and never was threatened seriously.

JSU trailed 19-13 with just under 6 minutes left in the opening half, but Southeast closed the period with a 14-0 burst to lead 33-13.

The Redhawks' advantage never dipped below 18 points in the second half.

"I thought we set the tone in the first half," Ishee said. "I was very proud of out intensity and our team defense."