Redhawks WBB fumbles in clutch, grueling losing streak hits 12 at Little Rock

It came all the way down to a late fourth-quarter push from Little Rock, but a historic Southeast Missouri State women’s basketball losing streak just got longer Tuesday as the Redhawks lost 60-52 to make it 12 consecutive losses.

On Day 40 since their last victory, the Redhawks kept it a one-possession game for most of the second half after a massive 10-0 run to take the lead in the second, even holding a fourth-quarter lead, but that wasn’t enough.

The loss drops Southeast to 4-20 for the year, with a 2-13 record in the Ohio Valley Conference heading into the final five games of the conference slate and the final three home games of the year beginning this weekend.

For Little Rock, the Trojans now tout a 13-11 record overall, with an 11-4 record maintaining their position of fourth in the OVC going into the final leg of the season with a conference tournament bid guaranteed.

Against No. 4 Little Rock in some midweek madness, it seemed as if Southeast had the Trojans’ number coming into the fourth, building a 3-point lead after Ainaya Williams laid in a wide-open bucket on the cut, but the response from UALR was damning.

Down 47-44 with six minutes left, Little Rock entered a 13-0 run that culminated in it taking a resounding edge into the final moments, with the Redhawks themselves going scoreless over the next five minutes.

Putting themselves in a position to win down the stretch, the Redhawks showed signs of life in a tough road setting and even held the lead in the final minutes, but it’s still not enough to come away with a win.

Faith Lee (13), Jordan Holman (12) and Emerald Parker (12) all cracked double figures in scoring for the Trojans, while Jayla Brooks’ 3 steals and a monumental 3-pointer in the clutch helped set the tone with 7 overall points, joining Sug Williams and Mesi Triplett in a tie at 7 apiece.

Lexi McCully led Southeast with 18 points scored, 3-for-7 from outside the arc. Freshman Ainaya Williams, one of the best paint defenders in the OVC this year, put up 10 points with 8 boards hauled in, third only to Zoe Best and Brianna Hill with 9 each.

Southeast returns home for a Saturday matchup with Tennessee Tech, taking on the Golden Eagles that are currently positioned atop the Ohio Valley Conference with a 12-2 record, tied with Lindenwood for the best overall record.

The last time the two matched up, Jan. 16 in Cookeville, Tennessee, the Golden Eagles nabbed a 79-66 victory over the Redhawks, part of this ongoing SEMO losing streak that’s now spanning well over a month.

Tipping off a 1:30 p.m. Saturday matchup at the Show Me Center, it’ll be one of five remaining opportunities for the Redhawks to improve their conference standing, sitting at the bottom of the table officially at 11th.