6th consecutive victory sends Redhawks MBB past Little Rock, into OVC driver’s seat

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Going into hostile territory for a battle amongst teams tied at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference, it was the visiting Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball team that pulled out a 57-45 victory over Little Rock to claim sole possession of first place in the conference.

Better yet, maybe, it also officially clinched an OVC Tournament berth for the Redhawks as they’ve avenged last season’s tourney miss with an 11-4 start to the conference season.

A defensive masterclass of a performance dictated SEMO’s win Tuesday, with the Redhawks holding the hosts to just 16 points in the first half and pouncing on the back end to force a low-scoring victory in a battle of high-level league contenders.

That performance, including a marvelous chase-down swat off the back glass from Brendan Terry in the game’s final minute, made it all too simple for an efficient Redhawk offense to get a vengeful road win over the reigning No. 1 Trojans.

For the first time all year, the Redhawks stand alone atop the OVC with a 16-10 overall record and, more importantly, an 11-4 conference record that creeps above SIU Edwardsville by a half-game. Little Rock (16-10, 10-5) slipped to third.

That 16-point first-half mark by Little Rock is tied for the lowest number of points allowed in a half this season by SEMO, equaling the mark set by Division III Westminster earlier this season. It stands alone among Division I opponents.

It didn’t take much offense for SEMO to get by Tuesday night but, when it needed it most, Troy Cole Jr. (10 points) made the plays.

Hitting two triples in the final 10 minutes, one coming off a lunging baseline grab below the kneecap before drilling a smooth-as-silk bucket from the far corner, Cole Jr.’s performance gave that clutch energy when the Redhawks couldn’t pull away.

Rob Martin’s 17 led the Redhawks while Terry added 14. Meanwhile, Braxton Stacker buried a triple while adding seven points and four rebounds.

Though the Morehead State win ranks high among victories most valuable to the Redhawks this season, there’s an air about Tuesday’s win that might resonate more closely with those suggesting they’ve got a shot at doing something special this season.

Completing a three-game road trip with victories over then-No. 1 Morehead State, an impressive Southern Indiana squad and another then-No. 1 Little Rock, it’s a better finish than one could’ve possibly asked for.

Now on six consecutive wins, the Redhawks are headed home to finish up the Show Me Center slate, beginning at 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.

A win could go a long way in sealing up a top-two berth and a bye into the OVC Tournament semifinals later in March.