Redhawks book opening victory in final seconds

Southeast Missouri State appeared to be sleepwalking through much of Friday night's season opener.

Fortunately for the Redhawks, they woke up just in time to avoid what would have been an embarrassing start to the campaign.

Division II Truman State -- coming off an 8-19 season -- led Southeast much of the game, and the Bulldogs were still tied in the final seconds.

But Roy Booker's 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds remaining allowed the Redhawks to escape the Show Me Center with a 59-56 victory.

"Embarrassed is not the word," said Southeast junior guard David Johnson, contemplating what came close to happening. "Our first game, home opener ..."

But the bottom line is that the Redhawks were able to avert disaster -- which coach Gary Garner was thankful for.

"I'm so happy to get away with a win. I'm not sure we deserved it, but we'll take it," Garner said. "We didn't have that mental edge that you need. We started the game sluggish defensively. We were a step behind."

As much as Garner tried to get his players to take Truman State seriously, perhaps they didn't heed their coach's advice, although spirited play by the Bulldogs had the Redhawks fairly impressed.

"You have to give them credit. They played hard," Booker said. "But the whole team took them lightly. That's the third time we've done that."

The Redhawks also had two exhibition games against Division II teams that ended in unimpressive wins.

Thanks largely to Booker, the Redhawks did not have to pay for their transgressions.

In addition to scoring a game-high 17 points and pulling down eight rebounds, the senior guard hit the final shot that bailed Southeast out.

Truman State, trailing 56-52, got a basket from Austin Kirby with 17 seconds left. He was fouled on the play and missed the free throw, but Andy Calmes put in the rebound for a 56-56 tie with 15 seconds remaining.

Southeast, after crossing midcourt, called a timeout with eight seconds to play. Booker received an inbound pass, took a few dribbles and launched a shot straight on from the top of the key. It found the net with 2.3 seconds left.

"Coach just told me to make a play," said Booker, a Montana transfer who practiced with the Redhawks last year but made his official Southeast debut Friday night. "I'd been driving all night and they'd been collapsing on me. I figured I'd take the shot."

Truman State got off a decent 3-point attempt just before the buzzer, but it only hit the side of the backboard as the Redhawks held on.

"We need to quit caring about what division a team is in and just play everybody like they're the national champions," Johnson said. "We did take them lightly."

Johnson, a junior college transfer, played a major role in the victory -- and it was unexpected.

Johnson missed both of the exhibition games with a sprained thumb on his right (shooting) hand and has not practiced much lately. Garner had planned to hold Johnson out again Friday night.

But Johnson told Garner before the game that he was feeling better and could play. He ended as Southeast's only other double-figure scorer with 11 points, hitting three of five 3-pointers. He also blocked two shots.

"It was feeling a lot better and I'm glad I got to play," Johnson said.

Said Garner, "David gave us a good lift. I'm not sure we could have won the game without him."

Junior college transfer forward Andrais Thornton had eight points and 10 rebounds as Southeast outrebounded Truman State 45-34.

Nick Certa led the Bulldogs with 16 points and Calmes added 15.

Southeast led only briefly early in the first half and trailed 30-23 at the break. The Redhawks fell behind by 10 points twice early in the second half. They rallied for two brief leads, but trailed 52-50 with under three minutes left.

Junior college transfer guard Eric Burton scored four straight points for a 54-52 Southeast lead, and Johnson's two free throws with 1:03 left put the Redhawks up 56-52.

But the Bulldogs battled back with four straight points to set up Booker's heroics.

"We didn't play good tonight, but we've got a lot of new players and we're going to get better," Booker said. "We'll be all right."