Southeast stomps Hornets

Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach John Ishee had one concern regarding Wednesday's game.

Ishee feared the Redhawks might take for granted struggling NAIA opponent Harris-Stowe.

That's why Ishee was smiling following Southeast's 73-45 nonconference romp at the Show Me Center.

"I was very pleased because our mindset was good," Ishee said. "You always want to treat every opponent with the same respect, and I thought we did that tonight."

The Redhawks (12-10) matched their season-high winning streak by posting their third straight victory.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comSoutheast Missouri State's Sonya Daugherty attempts a reverse layup against Harris-Stowe's Keyuana Bradshaw during the first half Wednesday at the Show Me Center.

"I think it was a good game for us," said senior point guard Tarina Nixon, who made her 100th career start against the Hornets. "It allowed us to work on some stuff we needed to work on."

Harris-Stowe (4-14) never led, although the visitors from St. Louis trailed just 20-16 past the midway point of the first half.

Then the Redhawks turned things on, leading 43-23 at the break and never letting the margin dip below 16 points in the final period.

Nixon led the Redhawks with 19 points, 14 coming in the first half. Nixon, No. 2 in career 3-point field goals at Southeast, hit 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.

Nixon's final 3-point basket, which put Southeast up 59-38 with about seven minutes left in the game, was followed by a first for her brilliant college career.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comSoutheast Missouri's Mathilde Dufour drives to the basket against Harris-Stowe's Lanikia Lawrence in the second half Wednesday at the Show Me Center.

"My first technical," said the generally mild-mannered, soft-spoken Nixon while shaking her head.

A smiling Nixon said she didn't deserve the technical, which was handed out when one of the officials deemed she had taunted a Harris-Stowe player after sinking the 3-pointer.

"She was taunting me first, up the floor, telling me I wasn't good, I couldn't dribble," Nixon said. "I wasn't going to get punked in my own gym."

Senior wing Sonya Daugherty, who like Nixon recently went over 1,000 career points, was Southeast's only other double-figure scorer.

Daugherty netted all 16 of her points in the first half. She added game highs of seven rebounds and four assists.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comSoutheast Missouri State senior Crysta Glenn looks to make a pass during Wednesday's game at the Show Me Center.

With the contest under control, reserves played much of the second half. All 11 available Southeast players saw at least 12 minutes of action and all 11 scored.

"It was great to get everybody double-figure minutes," Ishee said.

Junior post Lesley Adams, who has had an up-and-down rookie season at Southeast after transferring from junior college, was the Redhawks' third-leading scorer with nine points.

Adams, who tied her second-highest scoring output of the season, had not put up a point in Southeast's previous seven games, including two in which she didn't play.

"I'm trying to get better," said Adams, who also pulled down five rebounds. "I guess it's kind of hard, playing 35 minutes a night [last year in junior college] and not knowing when I'll play.

"I just try to be ready."

Said Ishee: "We got Lesley touches. She was aggressive."

Sophomore forward Rochelle Ikeni, who has played sparingly since coming to Southeast, scored a career-high five points and hit her first college 3-pointer.

Senior guard Tierra Johnson, who has seen limited action this year, put in a season-high seven points.

"It was good to see so many different people contribute," said Ishee, whose squad hit 11 of 22 3-pointers and fell one short of its season-high for 3-point baskets.

Now the Redhawks will turn their attention back to Ohio Valley Conference play.

Southeast, tied for fifth in the 10-team league at 7-4, visits second-place Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

Noteworthy

• Sophomore wing Lauren Sharpe, who leads the OVC in steals, was on the bench in street clothes Wednesday because of a sternum injury she suffered in Southeast's previous game.

Ishee said Sharpe will be "day to day" the rest of the week, and there is a chance she can play Saturday.

"It's basically a pain tolerance kind of thing," Ishee said. "We're hoping we'll have her back Saturday."

• Sophomore reserve guard Tore Fite, who had been impressive in recent games, was in uniform Wednesday but did not play.

Ishee said Fite tweaked an ankle in Tuesday's practice and could have seen action Wednesday if necessary.