Jan. 28, 2007

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State women's basketball needed double overtime and a game-high 23 points from sophomore guard Sonya Daugherty (St. Louis, Mo./Hancock) as it claimed a 66-63 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Murray State Saturday night at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks improve to 14-6 (9-3) on the year, while the Lady Racers drop their season record to 12-6 (8-3).

Both teams battled to a 10-10 tie in the opening five minutes of the game before the Redhawks scored nine of the next 13 points in a near seven-minute stretch to capture a 19-14 advantage at the 8:16 mark on a jumper from junior guard Ashley Lovelady (Elkhart, Ind./Moberly Area CC). After the Lady Racers sliced their deficit to 21-18 on a jumper by junior Alaina Lee with 6:12 remaining, Southeast hiked its lead to eight points less than a minute later on a Daugherty trey and a pair of free throws from junior forward Missy Whitney (Charleston, Mo./Three Rivers CC). Lee scored four of the final six points of the half as the home team entered intermission with a 28-22 lead.

Murray State kicked off the second half by scoring 21 of the stanza's first 35 points to knot the score at 40-40 on a layup by junior Shaleea Petty at the 10:15 mark in the half. The Lady Racers later captured a 46-44 lead at the 7:51 mark on a layup by freshman Pam Bell and a free throw from Lee. Sophomore Ashley Nichole Hayes later increased Murray State's lead to 53-50 on a jumper with 2:19 remaining. The Redhawks scored the next four points, including three from senior center Lachelle Lyles (Chicago, Ill./Shelton State CC) to claim a 54-53 lead with 30 seconds left in regulation. Sophomore Amber Guffey split a pair of free throws with at the seven second mark before Whitney missed a potential game-winning jumper at the horn to send the game into extra time.

After splitting six points with Murray State in the first overtime and down by two early in the second overtime session, Daugherty posted a three-point play at the 2:39 mark to give Southeast a slim 62-61 lead. The Redhawks increased their lead almost a minute later to 64-61 on a layup from sophomore guard Szandra Pal (Budapest, Hungary/Vorosmarty Mihaly) before a pair of free throws from senior Joi Scott cut the lead to 64-63 with 1:29 remaining. The score remained the same until Lovelady converted a layup on a fast break with 17 seconds left for the final margin and the Redhawks forced Guffey to miss a potential game-tying three at the end of the game.

Whitney finished with a career high-tying 15 rebounds and three blocks with 13 points for a double-double. Lovelady added 11 points and five rebounds for Southeast, while Lyles nearly posted a double-double as she tallied 21 caroms to go along with nine points and a career-high five assists.

Scott scored 19 points and nine rebounds to pace three Murray State players in double figures. Guffey posted 14 points and Lee finished with 13 points. Hayes also contributed nine boards for the Lady Racers.

Southeast faces Austin Peay at the Show Me Center this Monday in an OVC contest, beginning at 5 p.m.