Rob Martin scores 27 to leas SEMO Over Morehead State on the road

Southeast Missouri State soared to the top of the Ohio Valley Conference after the Redhawks defeated the Morehead State Eagles 80-51 on the road Thursday, Feb. 6, in Morehead, KY.

Rob Martin had a monster game with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the three-point line and a pair of free throws. BJ Ward scored 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting including 4-of-7 from the three-point line.

Morehead State was led by Tyler Brelsford‘s 13 points and 11 points from Kenny White Jr. The Eagles shot 16-of-49 from the field, including 2-of-15 from three-point range, and 17-of-25 free throws.

SEMO shot 34-of-62 from the field including 8-of-18 from the three point line. The Redhawks made 4-of-7 from the free throw line but an extended time on the charity stripe was unnecessary this time around. The Redhawks also won the rebounding battle 38-28.

The Redhawks jumped ahead 8-2 within the first three minutes of the game after a pair of three-pointers from Ward. A slam dunk from Troy Cole Jr. capped SEMO’s opening run to 12-4 four minutes into the first half.

Martin was responsible for nine of the Redhawks’ last 11 points in the first half, sending SEMO to halftime leading 38-22.

The Eagles started the second half fast with a 7-2 run through the first three minutes. A jump shot by George Marshall cut SEMO’s lead to 40-29 with 17 minutes remaining in the game.

A slam dunk by David Idada capped SEMO’s 12-3 run to push the Redhawks’ lead to 20, up 52-32 with 12:35 remaining.

The Redhawks spent the final four minutes maintaining a 30-point lead over the Redhawks. They accomplished that after a three-pointer by Ward put them up 74-44 with 3:49 remaining, and again on a Elliot Lowndes jump shot with 2:56 left to lead 76-46.

Saxton Hoepker, a JUCO transfer who has spent much of the season on a far end of the bench, found his moment when he punctuated the game with a dunk with 23 seconds left for the final score of the game.

SEMO (14-10, 9-4) is now in the middle of a four-way tie for first place with MSU, Little Rock and SIUE. The Redhawks will travel to Southern Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 8.