CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – EKU women's basketball completed an 18-point second-half comeback to defeat Southeast Missouri by a score of 57-48 on Tuesday night inside the Show Me Center.
 
The Colonels' 18-point come-from-behind victory was the largest comeback margin since Dec. 8, 2021, when EKU overcame a 21-point deficit against Xavier on the road.
 
With the win, EKU hit 10 wins through the opening 13 games of the season for the first time since 1994.
 
Leading EKU over its long-time foe SEMO was graduate guard Antwainette Walker, who totaled 14 points including two made threes.  Walker also brought down a team-leading eight rebounds and dished out two assists.
 
Walker's 14 points was the 45th time in her career scoring double figures and marked 40-of-41 games for EKU scoring 10 or more points.
 
Following Walker was senior forward Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor who neared a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds against the Redhawks.  The Omaha, Nebraska native went 4-of-6 from the floor, her fifth game this season with four made field goals.
 
Southeast Missouri opened Tuesday's game on a 21-10 run to end the first quarter.  McGinnis-Taylor scored five of EKU's 10 points in the opening period.
 
SEMO scored on its first three possessions of the second quarter to extend its lead to 27-10 with eight minutes left on the clock.  Two layups from Brie Crittendon helped keep EKU in contention while narrowing the lead to 30-14 at the media timeout.  EKU ended the half on a 10-5 run to cut the deficit to 11 at halftime.
 
Walker connected on a made three to open the second half, cutting the deficit to single digits for the first time in over 12 minutes of play.  EKU re-claimed the lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter off a made layup from Sierra McCullough.  Despite the Colonels effort in the third, SEMO claimed the third with a 46-43 advantage off made free throws by Jaliyah Green, who led all scorers with 19 points.
 
EKU held SEMO to no made field goals in the fourth quarter and outscored the Redhawks 14-2 to end Tuesday's competition with a final score of 57-48.
 
SEMO shot 22 percent from the floor, 15 percent from three, and 67 percent from the free throw line compared to EKU's 36/19/82 splits.  Both teams grabbed 37 rebounds while EKU dished out four more assists than the Redhawks.
 
EKU returns to action after Christmas break to take on Samford on Friday, Dec. 29 in Richmond at Baptist Health Arena.  Tipoff is scheduled for 7:02 p.m. EST and tickets are available for just $5 online.