Feb. 23, 2002

Box Score

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Although Southeast Missouri does not get to host a first-round OVC Tournament game, they will not have to take a seven-hour bus ride back to Morehead. Thanks to the Lady Eagles victory over Murray State on Saturday and the Otahkians 80-68 win over Austin Peay, Southeast will travel back to Clarksville to open OVC Tournament play on Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m.

After the Lady Govs (16-11, 9-7 Ohio Valley) scored the game's first bucket, Southeast (16-11, 8-8) went on a tear, taking a 24-10 lead with 9:18 to play in the half. The run saw some of the Otahks best team play of the season and was capped with back-to-back three-pointers from point guard LaShelle Porter. Entering the game, Porter had only hit four threes all season.

"I did it for the team," Porter said after the game. "If I'm open I'm going to take the shot. The coaches warned by about number three (Austin Peay's point guard Kelly Chavez), and I used it as motivation to outplay her."

But Austin Peay would not wither behind the big run, using a 25-10 run of their own to take a 35-34 lead, their second of the game, at the 1:38 mark of the first half. Southeast responded and took a 39-38 advantage into the halftime break.

In the first half, it was substitute turned starter, Jessica Ezell, who made the difference. Ezell, starting in place of APSU's leading rebounder Shatika Hutcherson who was lost for the season in Peay's last game, scored 10 first half points and recorded four steals. Unfortunately for APSU, Ezell would not get another point or steal the rest of the way.

Peay would score the second half's first basket and lead until the 11:44 mark. It was then that Southeast center Tisa Thomas scored off a Tiffany Melis assist to tie the game at 56. Following that play, Lori Chase hit two free-throws and Southeast never looked back.

Southeast hit 10-13 free-throws over the game's final 10 minutes and built a lead as big as 13 point at one-point. The game had an similiar look to the two team's first meeting, as Southeast led by 10 points with 4:00 minutes to play, but instead of allowing APSU to go on a 14-0 run, as the Lady Govs did in the first meeting to pull off the improbable victory, Southeast closed strong.

Austin Peay connected on four, three-point shots in the opening half, but was limited to only 1-13 (7.7%) in the second half. The big difference might have been switching to a zone defense that limited Armistead's shot attempts.

Armistead, an All-OVC selection last year and favorite to repeat this season, scored 31 points in the game, but only four points over the game's final eight minutes. Although Armistead scored a lot of points, guard Veronica Benson did an outstanding job making her earn every one of those points on tough shot attempts.

"We were pressuring her from the beginning of the game," Benson said referring to the Lady Govs Brooke Armistead. "Then she got hot so we were just trying to contain her."

Five Otahkians scored in double figures for the second consecutive game. Chase led the Otahks with 19 points, 12 of which came after halftime. She increased her career scoring total to 1,080 points and moved into 10th place on the Southeast all-time scoring list.

Porter tied her career-high by pouring in 17 points. Benson and Tisa Thomas added 12 apeice.

"We really like playing at the same time as Pam," Tisa Thomas said. "I know when I pass her the ball she will use her long arms and always catch the ball. They did not have the size down low to contain both of us."

Senior center Pam Iversen scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots. She is now tied for the Southeast all-time lead for blocks in a career and season, both held by Vera Roberts. Pam has 115 blocks in her career and 46 this season. The nine rebounds also pushed her into a tie for third-place on the SEMO career list with Renee Rogliardi with 766.

"It's a good way to finish the regular season," Coach Ed Arnzen said after the game. "We have won four in a row and have some momentum entering the tournament. Plus, now we get to come back her on Tuesday night. We were not looking forward to a bus ride back to Morehead (if we had lost). This win should give us confidence. We had great play from our post players and Porter really stepped up her game tonight."

"Tuesday's game is the most important of the season," Arnzen continued. "The loser is going home and the winner is going to Louisville (to the OVC Final Four), which is everyone's goal at the beginning of the season."

Armistead led the way with 31 for APSU, followed by 13 points from center Gerlonda Hardin. Hardin was limited to only seven rebounds after getting 17 in the previous meeting between the two clubs in January.

The winner of the Southeast-Austin Peay game on Tuesday will advance to Louisville to the OVC Final Four. The winner will play the winner of the Eastern Kentucky-Murray State game on Saturday, March 2 at 5:00 p.m. central time.