Redhawks WBB slump continues, dominated in Macomb for seventh straight loss

When Western Illinois broke the game open with an explosive first quarter, Southeast Missouri State tried to keep the pace. A 94-66 final ensued, with the hosting Leathernecks tearing apart a slumping Redhawks squad on 61 percent 3-point shooting.

Once again, the Redhawks ran into an unstoppable shooting unit, with WIU shooting 59 percent from the field as well with an additional 83 percent day from the free-throw line.

All this, plus a 37 percent clip of Southeast’s own, spelled disaster in the final leg of the road trip as it slips to 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference on the heels of a seven-game losing streak.

Now 2-8, 4-15 for the season, Southeast continues to drop in ranking while Western Illinois is boosted to 4-6 in conference, 10-9 overall after Saturday’s hefty victory.

Lexi McCully, who’s been a hero of late for Southeast, hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter to cut the early ‘Necks lead to just 27-23, spelling hope for Southeast yet.

But less than three minutes later, the Leathernecks had rolled off a 10-0 run, forced a timeout from Southeast coach Briley Palmer, and effectively dashed any hopes of a comeback as they carried a 15-point lead into the half and never once looked back.

When it felt like nothing could go right, Zoe Best led the Redhawks with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists, yet somehow she still managed to finish with a 30-under plus-minus rating.

Across the floor, Mia Nicastro’s 29 points allowed the Leathernecks to easily slip by the Redhawks, and it didn’t help whatsoever that Raegan McCowan added 22 and Madison Davis another 21 as three WIU players finished above the 20-point mark.

After a 22-point night against Lindenwood two days ago, Lexi McCully put up just 7 points in the losing effort, Ainaya Williams the only player to crack double digits alongside Best with 13 in just 17 minutes.

At the risk of failing to qualify for a second consecutive OVC Tournament after finishing fourth in the 2022-23 regular season, the Southeast women’s seven-game slump has come against some less-than-favorable competition.

Last having won on Jan. 2 against last-place Tennessee State, the streak includes losses against the conference’s No. 7, No. 3, No. 8, No. 5, No. 2, No. 4 and now No. 6 teams.

Of those seven losses, four have come by double digits, with three of the four road games in that span coming in the 10-plus-point variety.

Though the youth of this Redhawks squad is of importance, it becomes more of an uphill climb toward a qualifying position by the day, with the window of a tournament berth closing rapidly.

As it stands, No. 10 Southeast Missouri State sits at the bottom of a three-way tie between 8 and 10, with Morehead State atop the field in a qualifying No. 8 position after having defeated SEMO two weeks ago to the day at the Show Me Center.

Looking forward, the next opportunity for the women’s team to make a statement comes Thursday with a return to Cape Girardeau against the familiar Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks.

Having faced, and lost to, the Skyhawks in Martin earlier this month to kick off this long losing streak, it’s a full-circle conclusion to the road trip to return for a rivalry rematch, losing by 16 points the last time these two linked up.

As it stands, the Redhawks are on a three-game losing streak against the nearby Skyhawks, last defeating their Volunteer State rivals in January 2023, coming in 2-point fashion at the Show Me Center on a game-winning shot in the final second.