Redhawks Triumph Over Tigers in nail-biter, 67-65, Maintain Perfect OVC Record!

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Teddy Washington, Jr. netted 11 points, recorded a season-best seven steals, and executed a crucial free throw with seven seconds remaining to secure Southeast Missouri (8-6, 3-0) a narrow 67-65 victory over Tennessee State (4-10, 0-3) on Thursday evening at the Gentry Center.
 
SEMO has extended its winning streak to five games and started Ohio Valley Conference play with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2011-12. This five-game winning streak marks the longest during Head Coach Brad Korn‘s tenure and SEMO’s first since 2013-14.
 
In a contest filled with back-and-forth action that included 10 ties and 10 lead changes, the Redhawks triumphed in their first conference road win of the year.
 
SEMO outscored TSU, 18-12, from the charity stripe, converting six of those in the last 2:44 of the match to fend off the Tigers.
 
Braxton Stacker regained a 63-62 lead for the Redhawks, and Brendan Terry later equaled the score at 65-65 with his two free throws while SEMO was trailing by two with 1:30 remaining.
 
TSU had the opportunity to take the lead on the following possession, but Justus Johnson’s jumper fell short, and BJ Ward was fouled with 24 seconds to play. Ward converted the second of his two free throws, providing SEMO a narrow 66-65 advantage.
 
Washington, Jr. then intercepted the ball from Brandon Weston and headed to the free throw line with seven seconds left, going on to sink one of two free throws to set the score at 67-65.
 
The Tigers had one last shot, but SEMO held strong as Carlous Williams airballed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
 
SEMO seized the initiative early on, racing to a 10-0 advantage within the first 2:35 of the game.
 
Terry converted one-of-two free throws, followed by Elliot Lowndes delivering a two-handed dunk. Washington, Jr. then netted a 3-pointer, Rob Martin added a jumper, and Lowndes finished with another score to secure a double-digit lead.
 
TSU countered with a 12-2 run, during which the Redhawks missed seven of eight attempts and went scoreless for a duration of four-and-a-half minutes. Aaron Nkrumah’s 3-pointer leveled the game at 12-12 with 10:21 left in the opening half.
 
After Josh Ogundele’s jumper gave the Tigers their initial lead at 17-15, SEMO responded with an 8-0 surge. Troy Cole, Jr. tied the game with a layup, Ward then scored four consecutive points, and David Idada added a layup to put SEMO ahead 23-17 with 6:39 remaining.
 
The Redhawks regained a six-point (29-23) lead thanks to Stacker’s dunk and held a
31-27 advantage at halftime.
 
TSU embarked on a 14-4 run to reclaim the lead at 41-35, courtesy of Ronald Jessamy’s layup, capped by Ogunde’s free throw with 15:45 to go.
 
Terry immediately countered with a dunk, igniting a seven-point surge that pushed the Redhawks ahead by one (42-41). Washington, Jr. connected on a 3-pointer, and Martin scored a layup following Terry’s dunk.
 
Cole, Jr.’s 3-pointer narrowed TSU’s margin to two, and Marqueas Bell tied the contest at 51-51 with a fast break layup following a steal, though he missed the resulting free throw.
 
A layup from Terry then gave the game its sixth tie, and SEMO took a 55-53 lead when Washington, Jr. converted two free throws with 8:19 left on the clock.
 
The back-and-forth skirmish continued as the Redhawks momentarily led again. Lowndes had a free dunk, and Stacker made two free throws to give SEMO a 63-62 advantage with 2:44 still to play.
 
As a collective, SEMO made 18-of-27 attempts from the free throw line. Washington, Jr. (3-of-4), Terry (3-of-4), Ward (5-of-6), and Stacker (4-of-4) accounted for 15 of those successful shots.
 
Martin, Terry, and Cole, Jr. each contributed nine points, while Lowndes added eight.
 
On the defensive end, the Redhawks concluded with 14 steals and limited the conference’s top scoring team to only 65 points, while TSU came into the contest averaging 80.2.
 
Ogundele led the Tigers, scoring a game-high 17 points off the bench.
 
The Redhawks remain in Tennessee to take on UT Martin on Saturday.