Redhawks suffer their seventh loss in eight games

~ The Southeast men fell to 7-7 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team appeared to recapture its swagger with Tuesday's triple-overtime win over Ohio Valley Conference leader Austin Peay.

But Tennessee-Martin knock-ed the Redhawks back down in a big way Saturday night.

UT-Martin led from start to finish and romped 90-71.

A season-high announced crowd of 4,336 at the Show Me Center saw the Redhawks lose for the seventh time in eight games.

Southeast's Johnny Hill guarded Tennessee-Martin's Carlos Wright during the first half Saturday at the Show Me Center. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Southeast, which already has lost three OVC home contests, fell to 12-12 overall and 7-7 in league play.

The Redhawks, 6-0 and in first place in the OVC at one point, are now tied for sixth in the 11-team conference.

"It's very disappointing," Southeast coach Scott Edgar said.

Edgar was discouraged enough that, for the first time this season, he made his players off-limits to the media after the game.

"That was my decision," he said.

Southeast's Roderick Pearson went in for a layup during Saturday's game.

Edgar pointed out that it had been a rough few days for the Redhawks since they thrilled their home fans with Tuesday's 121-116 triumph over defending OVC champion Austin Peay.

Starting sophomore forward Calvin Williams played only five minutes Saturday after he spent much of the past few days in bed with the flu.

Reserve sophomore wing Johnny Hill missed two days of practice to be in St. Louis with his ailing father, although Hill played 25 minutes Saturday.

"Maybe those things caused us to be a little out of sync," Edgar said.

But Edgar credited UT-Martin (11-14, 7-8) with playing a strong game, and he agreed that the Skyhawks appeared to be noticeably hungry, after they had lost two home games earlier in the week.

Southeast's Jaycen Herring worked to get off a shot against Tennessee-Martin's Olajide Hay and Gerald Robinson during the first half.

"I feel we should have been that way," Edgar said.

UT-Martin coach Bret Campbell acknowledged that his squad was desperate for a win after faltering at home. The Skyhawks are tied for eighth in the scrambled OVC race.

"It was a very disappointing week. I thought maybe we had caved in," said Campbell, whose team had won two straight on the road before dropping the two at home. "I'm very proud. ... It was a big win."

If somebody had told Edgar that Southeast would commit only 12 turnovers -- well below its OVC-worst average of nearly 19 -- and hold Lester Hudson to 11 points through 37 minutes, he probably would have liked the Redhawks' chances.

But the Skyhawks still romped, thanks in large part to hitting 11-of-25 3-pointers (44 percent) and holding a 54-39 rebounding advantage.

Southeast hurt itself by making only 3-of-18 from 3-point range (17 percent) and shooting just 38.7 percent from the field overall.

"I knew coming in that the danger part of it was half of their shots would be from 3," Edgar said. "They scored 33 points off 3s, and we scored nine points off 3s.

"We didn't shoot it very well from any area, and rebounding hurt bad."

Hudson, the nation's second-leading scorer entering the week who was averaging 26.4 points per game, finished with 18 points after getting seven in the final three minutes.

The junior guard, a junior college transfer, added 10 rebounds and seven assists as he flashed his stellar all-around game.

"Whatever the defense gives me. ... I try not to force shots," said Hudson, who went 6-of-19 from the field and 3-of-10 on 3-pointers.

UT-Martin's other two marquee players hurt Southeast the most.

Senior forward Gerald Robinson, who entered with averages of 12.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, had 26 points and 12 boards. He hit 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

Freshman guard Marquis Weddle, averaging 16 points, scored 22 as he nailed 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.

"They've got three players as good as any in the conference at their positions," Edgar said.

Freshman center Will Bogan led Southeast with 18 points off the bench in just 20 minutes.

Bogan, who hit 8-of-14 shots, had 11 second-half points. He also tied for the team rebounding lead with seven.

Junior wing Jaycen Herring and sophomore point guard Roderick Pearson were also in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. But both shot just 4-of-11.

"When we play defense, we're an awesome team," Hudson said.

As has been the case in many of its recent games since the 6-0 OVC start, Southeast dug itself an early hole as UT-Martin built a 16-4 lead less than five minutes into the contest.

The Redhawks trailed just 44-38 at halftime and appeared to be in solid shape early in the second half at 47-43.

But the Skyhawks hit Southeast with a 16-4 burst that made it 63-47 with just under 15 minutes remaining.

Southeast never recovered, getting no closer than 10 points and trailing by as many as 22.

"We got behind and tried to play catchup," Edgar said. "It was a very, very manageable game at halftime. ... The first part of the second half they established themselves again."

Southeast plays at Morehead State on Thursday night.