Southeast hammers Tennessee Tech

Southeast Missouri State's women felt like they let one slip away on Dec. 9 in Cookeville, Tenn., when Tennessee Tech beat the Redhawks by a point.

While the Redhawks can't get that loss back, they at least avenged it Saturday night -- and in resounding fashion.

The Redhawks opened an early 20-point lead, were ahead by 23 points at halftime and coasted to a 77-52 victory at the Show Me Center.

"Last game against them, we didn't come out with any intensity," said sophomore point guard Tarina Nixon, who was hobbled by an ankle injury in the first meeting against the Eaglettes, playing a season-low 17 minutes and scoring just two points. "We were fired up to come out and play tonight.

"It felt great," she added. "We were trying actually to beat them even worse."

Southeast, which won for the 10th time in its last 11 games, improved to 13-5 overall and 8-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play.

Southeast Missouri State's Sonya Daugherty, 14, slammed into teammate Lachelle Lyles while making a basket against Tennessee Techon Saturday. (Kit Doyle)

The Redhawks remained in a second-place OVC tie with Morehead State, both squads trailing Murray State by one-half game.

Tech, which tied with Southeast for last year's OVC regular-season title before losing to the Redhawks in the conference tournament final, fell to 5-14 overall and 4-6 in league play.

Southeast had its most lopsided OVC win of the season, coming on the heels of Thursday's 64-46 triumph over Tennessee State -- which at the time was the Redhawks' biggest victory margin in OVC play.

"It's nice to beat anybody," Southeast acting head coach John Ishee said. "But last time [against Tech], we didn't feel like we were at full strength. Tarina was hurt, and Missy [Whitney] had a case of food poisoning.

"But Tennessee Tech is a good team and they're really tough to beat at home."

Sophomore guard Sonya Daugherty continued her recent strong play for the Redhawks.

Two days after pouring in a career-high 26 points against Tennessee State, Daugherty scored a game-high 17 points, including 13 in the first half.

Daugherty has scored 94 points in her last five games. She leads Southeast in scoring during conference play at a little more than 15 points per game.

Daugherty hit seven of 13 field goal attempts. In addition, she dished out a career-best six assists and had two steals.

"Sonya is playing well," Ishee said. "For her, the thing that will go unnoticed to the untrained eye, is that defensively she's getting better."

Nixon scored 16 points, 11 coming in the opening period. The OVC's fifth-best 3-point shooter at 42.6 percent entering the night, Nixon hit three of five first-half 3-pointers.

Southeast senior center Lachelle Lyles, the nation's leading rebounder with a 16.8 per-game average, had 11 points and 16 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. She added two blocked shots.

Whitney, a junior forward, scored 11 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

Sophomore forward Rachel Blunt was a fifth double-figure scorer for Southeast as she had 13 points off the bench.

"Any time you have five score in double figures, it spreads the defense," Ishee said.

For the second straight game, Ishee was particularly pleased with the Redhawks' defense.

Southeast allowed a season-low point total Thursday against Tennessee State.

Saturday, the Redhawks allowed their second-fewest points of the season and limited Tech to 32.7-percent field-goal shooting.

"I thought collectively we played good defense," Ishee said.

The team has been focusing on it since last weekend's 75-60 loss to Austin Peay that snapped an eight-game winning streak and dropped the Redhawks out of a virtual tie for first in the league.

Said Blunt: "To hold a team like Tech to that point total, with the shooters they have ..."

Tech scored the game's first two points, but after that it was all Southeast.

The Redhawks opened a 28-8 lead less than 12 minutes into the contest and led 43-20 at halftime.

Southeast's lead never dipped under 21 points in the second half, and the Redhawks' biggest advantage was 36 points.

"We shot the ball extremely well to start the game," Ishee said. "When you do that, it puts a little extra pep in your step."

The Redhawks shot 50 percent in the opening period and finished at 45.8 percent.

Southeast plays at Morehead State on Wednesday.