Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Eastern Kentucky's women's basketball held Southeast Missouri to 19 first half points on 20 percent shooting on its way to a 74-63 victory on Saturday in the Colonels first Ohio Valley Conference game of the season.
 
The EKU defense was stifling in the first half, including allowing just two points in the second quarter.  After a jumper by Olivia Hackman put SEMO in front by five, 17-12, with 1:46 left in the first quarter, Eastern Kentucky closed out the first half on a 14-2 run.
 
Southeast Missouri made just 7-of-35 field goal attempts (20 percent) in the first half, including just 1-of-8 from behind the arc. 
 
Alexus Copper got the game-changing run started with a three-pointer.  Madison Wood scored the final four points in the final minute of the second quarter to send the Colonels to the locker room in front 31-19.  Shavontae Naylor scored six points during the run.
 
The Redhawks (6-9, 0-2 OVC) cut a 12-point third quarter deficit to four, 42-38, on a three-pointer by Adrianna Murphy with 2:31 remaining in the period.  Cooper's triple with 53 seconds to go put Eastern Kentucky on top by eight, 49-41, at the end of the third.
 
The Colonels (4-10, 1-0 OVC) edged back in front by 12, 55-43, early in the fourth on jumper by Wood and back-to-back baskets by Jalen O'Bannon.  Southeast made one more run.  A 10-1 spurt fueled by consecutive three-pointers from Hackman got the home team within three, 58-55.  However, Eastern scored eight straight to secure control of the game.
 
Naylor finished the day with a season-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field.  She made 8-of-15 at the free throw line and grabbed eight rebounds.  Cooper contributed 13 points and five rebounds.  O'Bannon finished with 10 points.  Wood scored a career-best seven and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Hackman led the Redhawks with a game-high 26 points, going 12-of-25 from the field. 
 
Eastern Kentucky shot 41 percent from the field while Southeast finished the game 26-of-81 for 32 percent.  The Colonels converted 21-of-33 at the free throw line while the Redhawks finished 6-of-13 from the charity stripe.
 
EKU starts conference play with a win for the first time since the 2013-14 season and beat Southeast Missouri for the fourth straight time.  The Colonels improved to 30-15 all-time against the Redhawks.
 
Eastern will be back home to host SIU Edwardsville on Thursday (Jan. 5).  Tip-off at McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.