Southeast women's basketball team misses chance to move up in standings

~ The Redhawks fell to EIU 53-48 on the road

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team had an opportunity to move into third place in the Ohio Valley Conference West Division when it faced Eastern Illinois Saturday at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Ill.

The Redhawks remain in fourth place after they struggled to extend an early lead and ultimately suffered a 53-48 loss to the Panthers.

Southeast, which dropped to 7-16 overall and 3-8 in the OVC, sits in fourth place in the OVC West Division and EIU is one spot ahead in third. EIU sits in eighth place overall and Southeast is in 10th.

"I'm just disappointed in the way we came out in the first 20 minutes -- really both teams though," Southeast coach Ty Margenthaler said. "I think both teams were very sluggish and were kind of testing one another out, I guess. I thought we had a golden opportunity early in that first half to really expand that lead, and it concerned me when we didn't. We let some opportunities go."

In a low-scoring start to the game, Southeast took a 5-0 lead 4 minutes, 25 seconds in and led 12-6 with 4:58 remaining in the half.

The Panthers outscored the Redhawks 13-4 from there to take a three-point lead into halftime.

"I think our concentration just coming into the game," Southeast senior forward Patricia Mack said. "We knew the scout, we knew how we played them before, and it was obvious we could have played them the same way, but the focus wasn't there."

In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Southeast prevailed with a 66-49 victory at home.

"I told the team after the game it's really just kind of our focus," Margenthaler said. "To have 12 turnovers in the first half against a team that's not a real pressure-type team, and we missed a few bunnies or some good-looking shots."

Several of Southeast's 12 first-half turnovers were unforced. The Redhawks only had five turnovers in the final 20 minutes.

Southeast started out the second half with six unanswered points to regain a three-point lead, and even took a 35-30 lead with 10:17 remaining on a jumpshot by Jordan Hunter but just couldn't put the Panthers away for good.

"The second half we came out with a lot of energy, shots were going in because the focus was better, our energy was better," Margenthaler said. "Hopefully they'll learn from that and that's just how the game came down."

EIU used an 18-8 run to take a 43-38 lead with 1:50 to play on a Jordyne Crunk 3. Southeast answered with a 3 by Hunter but never came any closer.

"I think we just got frazzled and rushed ourselves more than them attacking, coming at us," Mack said. "I think it was more of our focus and rushing and we just didn't take our time."

Neither team had a strong offensive performance. Southeast shot 35.6 percent from the field while EIU shot 36.8 percent.

The Redhawks were 4 of 21 (19 percent) from behind the arc in the loss and made only 2 of 5 free throw attempts.

Olivia Hackmann was the only Redhawk to score in double figures with 11 points. Mack and Hunter had nine apiece, and Mack had 11 rebounds.

Southeast returns to action Monday against SIU Edwardsville (7-17, 3-8 OVC). The Cougars handed UT Martin its first conference loss with a 65-62 victory Saturday.

Southeast beat SIUE 79-71 at home on Jan. 27.