Box Score

Cape Girardeau, Mo. (February 22, 2003) - For the second straight game, the Southeast Missouri Otahkian basketball team fell victim to last minute free throw shooting as Austin Peay avoided an upset by Southeast and held on to win, 80-78. Southeast moves to 15-10 and 9-5 in the OVC, while Peay moves to 21-3 and 13-0 in the conference. The win and an EKU loss earlier in the night secured the Conference Championship for Austin Peay.

Southeast started the game on fire. They jumped out to a 9-0 lead before Peay got its first bucket. The lead grew to 24-12 at the 12 minute mark in the half. Peay fought back and ended the half down by five, 42-37.

Southeast had a balanced attack in the first half as they got nine points from junior forward Carina Souza, and eight points each from senior forward Lori Chase and junior guard Sarah Costello. The Otahks shot 61 percent in the first half from the field.

Peay was led by a smoking first half from Brooke Armistead. The senior had 19 points on 7-10 shooting from the field. Peay was just as hot from the field as they shot 58 percent in the half and 50 percent from behind the arc.

The second half was much more close. Southeast kept the lead all the way until the two minute mark when a layup from Peay's Ashley Haynes gave the Lady Govs a one-point advantage. Both teams traded the lead for the next minute and a half before Armistead went to the line with nine seconds left and a one point lead shooting two and a chance to put away the game. She promptly made the first shot, but missed the second.

That allowed Southeast one last try with just a two point deficit. Junior guard Kenja White drove the length of the court and had an open shot, but was fouled on the way up, giving her two shots and a chance to tie the game. She made the first, but missed the second, and the Otahks were forced to foul Peay's Gerlonda Hardin on the rebound sending her to the line for two shots. She made one of two and the game was over.

Southeast was led on the night by 15 points from Costello. She was 5-9 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line as she pulled down two rebounds and had three assists. Souza had 13 points and five rebounds while Chase had 12 and six.

It was the last home game of the season and it marked Senior Night for Chase and guard LaShelle Porter. Porter had eight points on a perfect 3-3 shooting night.

Peay was led by a clutch night from Armistead. She had 28 points on 10-16 shooting, and was 6-7 from the free-throw line. Hardin had 23 points and six rebounds. Forward Jessica Grayson had 11 points and four assists, while guard Paige Smith had a team high seven rebounds.

Southeast missed its second straight chance to secure a first-round home OVC Tournament game as a win tonight would have secured just that. As it stands, both Morehead State and Tennessee-Martin won tonight as Morehead beat Murray State and Martin pulled off the upset at Eastern Kentucky. The two teams play each other on Monday at Morehead and if Martin were to pull off another win, it would clinch a first-round home game for Southeast and Martin. Eastern Kentucky, despite losing tonight gets a first round home game, and Peay wins the regular season outright.

Southeast is now off until Thursday when they will travel to Cookeville, Tenn. to take on the Golden Eaglettes of Tennessee Tech at 5:30 p.m. They will finish the regular season at Tennessee State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Despite what happens on Monday at Morehead between Martin and the Eagles, a win in either of the last two games for Southeast will secure a first round home game.