They did it again

~ After losing their 16-point advantage,the Redhawks recover for ninth straight win.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Holding a 16-point second-half lead in Saturday's championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, things seemed to be going -- almost eerily -- too easy for the Southeast Missouri State.

"Nothing has come easy for this team all season," Southeast acting head coach John Ishee said.

It was perhaps fitting, then, that Southeast's second straight OVC tournament title would end up being a titanic struggle.

But all is well that ends well for the top-seeded Redhawks, who will make their second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance thanks to a 62-60 victory over No. 2 seed Murray State.

Senior center Lachelle Lyles' layup with 6 seconds left broke a 60-60 tie and continued Southeast's storybook season.

"With all the things we've been through, it feels better this year," said Lyles when asked to compare the two championships.

What have the Redhawks been through? Head coach B.J. Smith was placed on administrative leave in November and resigned amid controversy the following month without ever coaching a game this season. Throw that on top of losing four starters from last year's team that won the program's first OVC regular-season and tournament titles.

The Redhawks (24-7) responded with their first outright OVC regular-season crown -- they shared the title last year -- another league tournament championship and a school record for wins on the Division I level.

"We've persevered all year long," Ishee said. "I couldn't be more proud of them."

Southeast's season has been marked by coming through in the clutch, and the Redhawks did that one more time Saturday. They improved to 11-1 against OVC teams in games decided by eight points or less. All three of their tournament contests were decided by six points or fewer.

Southeast Missouri State guard Sonya Daugherty, center, dribbled through Murray State's Amber Guffey, left, and Shaleea Petty, right, in the second half of the championship game at the Ohio Valley Conference tournament in Nashville, Tenn. (MARK HUMPHREY ~ Associated Press)

"This team has made plays all year," Ishee said. "We've made plays when we had to."

The Redhawks had to Saturday, after Murray State (21-9) roared back from a 46-30 second-half deficit to take a pair of late one-point leads.

Southeast sophomore reserve forward Rachel Blunt hit a baseline jumper from about 12 feet out with 2:10 remaining to put the Redhawks up 58-57, and Blunt's layup with 1:18 left made it 60-57.

"Rachel hit two huge baskets," Ishee said.

Murray State, which posted its first winning season since the 1989-90 campaign, got a 3-pointer from Erica Gordian -- it was her only basket of the game -- with 16 seconds left to forge a 60-60 tie.

After a Southeast timeout, Murray State almost stole the inbound pass, but sophomore point guard Tarina Nixon recovered and got the ball to sophomore guard Sonya Daugherty, who drove the baseline.

Daugherty, who led the Redhawks with 18 points and was named the tournament's most valuable player, was quickly double-teamed, but she found a wide-open Lyles underneath the basket for a layup with 6.5 seconds to play.

"I saw Lachelle. She called my name so loud I had to get it to her," said a laughing Daugherty.

Added Lyles with a smile: "I just wanted the ball."

Murray State, which made the tournament final despite being without OVC player of the year Joi Scott -- the league's leading scorer injured a knee late in the regular season -- nearly forced overtime.

But sophomore guard Amber Guffey's spinning shot in the lane was barely off the mark.

"She got a decent look, but it was a contested shot," Ishee said.

Junior forward Missy Whitney added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Redhawks, although Southeast's second-leading scorer and rebounder on the season fouled out with 6:55 remaining.

"I had confidence in my teammates that they could get the job done without me," Whitney said.

Southeast finished with four double-figure scorers as Nixon and junior guard Ashley Lovelady both contributed 10 points.

Lyles, the nation's leading rebounder, pulled down 10 boards and joined Daugherty on the all-tournament team.

Daugherty led Southeast in assists with six, while Nixon and Lovelady both added four.

"It was a total team effort, like it's been all year," Ishee said.

And, for a change, it looked like it might be a lopsided victory as the Redhawks started strong and controlled much of the game.

Ahead 35-26 at halftime, Southeast built a 46-30 advantage with 14 minutes left.

But the Racers stormed back and went ahead with four minutes remaining. It was Murray State's first lead since 3-2 in the game's opening minute.

"When it was 46-30 I was hoping we could put our foot down and make it a little easier, but give credit to Murray State," Ishee said. "We knew it was going to be a dogfight. Championships are never easy."

The squads traded leads before finding themselves tied in the waning seconds. Lyles then put the Redhawks ahead for good, and it was only a few minutes later that they were cutting down the nets at the Gaylor Entertainment Center for the second year in a row, with about 200 red-clad Southeast fans roaring their approval.

"I can't describe the feeling," Whitney said.

Southeast will now have more than a week before finding out who and where it will play in the NCAA tournament, with the selection show set for March 12.

"We'll take about two days off and enjoy this," Ishee said. "They deserve it."