Redhawks WBB opens final home slate with battle against Tennessee Tech

The Southeast Missouri State women’s basketball team returns home after a three-game road trip to begin a three-game home stint beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Show Me Center. The opposition? Ohio Valley Conference co-leader Tennessee Tech.

Metrics give the Redhawks only a 10% chance to win, with SEMO (4-20 overall, 2-13 OVC) contesting the Golden Eagles (19-5, 13-2).

Inside the final five games of the conference season, SEMO is two wins behind the conference tournament bubble and would require a Herculean effort to grab a victory against a TTU squad that’s been phenomenal this year.

SEMO is on a 12-game losing streak that began when the Redhawks were 2-1 in conference play and, before the streak, on a three-game winning streak.

With five regular-season games remaining, the Redhawks’ play has been going south by the day. Tied with SIU Edwardsville at the floor of the OVC, it’s almost a challenge to get out of the basement at this point.

SEMO traveled to Cookeville, Tennessee, a month ago and lost 79-66. One positive: The Redhawks outscored the Golden Eagles over the final three quarters. Unfortunately, they were down by 14 after one quarter.

The Golden Eagles own the conference’s most efficient offense, led by junior wing Reghan Grimes, who is averaging 13.0 points per game, while Peyton Carter, Keeley Carter and Chloe Larry all average north of 11 ppg.

Anna Walker adds just a tick under 10 ppg, while leading the team with 6.4 rebounds per game. Keeley Carter has the team’s best 3-point average at 44%, while sister Peyton Carter stands at 37%.

Keeley Carter is ranked as a top-50 shooter from deep this season, and that was evident when she went 6 of 6 from beyond the arc against Southern Indiana earlier this year. She also nailed two triples the last time these squads matched up.

One of the biggest flexes for Tennessee Tech, perhaps, is a 44th-ranked offensive rebounding game, while also being ranked 20th in the country in free-throw rate, which is a phenomenal and reliable way to win games.

Quite different from SEMO, which is ranked 362nd and last in free-throw rate, and it’s shown as the Redhawks drop game after game in what’s frequently considered one of the lesser conferences in the country.

SEMO has not reached “win-or-go-home” territory, but it’s getting more dangerous by the day for a Redhawks squad with just two conference wins this late in the season.