Women's basketball team's losing streak continues

The Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball team had a game of season lows. The Redhawks shot a season-low 26.5 percent, but also had a season-low eight turnovers in their four-point loss to Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.

Southeast lost its sixth straight game 53-49 to the Ohio Valley Conference opponent. The Redhawks are now 8-14 overall and 2-7 in OVC play.

Southeast coach Ty Margenthaler thought his guards handled themselves well in a physical game and that it helped keep them close.

"It was just one of those nights where the lid was on and the basketball gods were not on our side on the offensive end," Margenthaler said. "But our defense and our energy and our effort continued to keep us in the game."

The Redhawks held the biggest lead of the game with 5 minutes, 54 seconds left in the first half. Southeast had gone on an 8-0 run to lead the Colonels 18-10. Eastern Kentucky didn't score for nearly six and a half minutes until Alex Jones made two free throws with 5:10 on the clock.

The Colonels came within four points with 1:11 left in the half, but Roberts banked in a jump shot at the buzzer to put the Redhawks up 22-16 at half.

The score remained close throughout the second half and Southeast held a seven-point lead with 16:15 to play, but the Colonels went on a 10-2 run to lead 34-32.

"We moved the ball pretty well, but at around 11 minutes we went stagnant and we started fouling, and it kind of changes the pace of the game," Roberts said. "They went on their run and we just weren't able to make a shot that we needed to hit down the stretch."

The Colonels were 6-for-8 on free throws in the last two minutes of the game to pull ahead for good.

The Redhawks struggled with fouls in the post throughout the game. Patricia Mack fouled out with 5:49 to play, and Brittany Harriel went to the bench with her fourth foul with 12:18 left.

Courtney Shiffer played for the first time in five games after she sat out due to a concussion she suffered in practice.

"With our foul trouble situation it was nice to have a senior in there to help us and we just need to keep healthy," Margenthaler said about Shiffer's return.

Harriel led all scorers with 16 points, Roberts finished with 13 on 5-of-16 shooting and Jordan Hunter scored 11.

Eastern Kentucky was led by Marie Carpenter with 15 points, which were all scored in the final 12 minutes and Jones finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Both were 7-for-8 on free throws. Brittany Coles added 12 points and Jade Barber had a game-high 14 rebounds for the Colonels.

"We were in it until the end. We played hard, but we're getting down to the end of the season and playing hard's just really not cutting it," Roberts said. "We have to find a way to win. Letting that one slip out of our hands, it's not the end of our season, but it definitely stings because it would've been a really good win for us. But it just makes it that much more important that we go on Monday, on the road, and we have to find a way to win."

Southeast's next game is against Austin Peay at 7 p.m. Monday in Clarksville, Tenn. Austin Peay has a record of 6-15 and are 1-8 in the OVC.

"They're definitely not going to hand it to us," Margenthaler said. "They're in the same position that we are; they need a win in the worst way.

"It's going to be a dogfight and it's going to be, quite honestly, who really and truly wants the game and who's going to execute."