Box Score

Cape Girardeau, Mo. (November 15, 2002) -- The Southeast Missouri State Otahkian basketball team today finished the exhibition season wit ha 2-0 record as they sent Southern Illinois Edwardsville packing 81-65.

The Otahkians came out on fire in the first half. Senior forward Lori Chase started it by stealing on the first possession and then pulling up for a three pointer and draining it. The Otahkians would run the lead to 25-14 at the 10:41 mark in the first half on two free throws by Chase.

The score would get to 31-17 as a 5-0 run with eight minutes left gave the Otahks their biggest lead to that point. Edwardsville would get as close as 10 points, but couldn't keep up with the Otahkians as Southeast led 43-28 at the half.

Junior forward Carina Souza led the Otahks in the first half as she had nine points and three rebounds. Chase added eight points and six rebounds. The team shot 47 percent from the field and was perfect at the line.

SIUE made a game of it in the second half as they were only outscored by the better Otahkian squad by one point. But the margin was too much to overcome and they fell to Southeast 81-65.

Souza led the Otahks with 16 points and six rebounds. She had two steals and went 2-3 from the free-throw line. Chase had 10 points and eight rebounds going 5-5 from the line. Junior guard Yashika Sidbury had 12 points and eight rebounds and sophomore guard Kenja White had 10 point with two steals.

Edwardsville forward Ruth Kipping led all scorers with 23 points, while puling down a team-high six rebounds, all defensive. Guard Jessica Robert had 15 points in the losing effort.

Southeast, as a team, shot lights-out tonight going 47 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. They out-rebounded the Cougars 40-30, and forced 28 turnovers.

The Otahkians will be in action next Friday as they play host to Division II Henderson State at the Show Me Center at 7 p.m. The game will be the first regular-season for the Otahkians.

Don't miss your chance to come out and meet Coach B.J. Smith at his weekly Coaches' Show. The action will take place on Thursday's at 5 p.m. at Buffalo Wild Wings in Cape. The first installment will be this coming Thursday and the show will be hosted weekly by Otahkian play-by-play announcer Jeff Brightwell.