Blunt Helps Southeast Defeat East Tennessee State, 73-68 :: Sophomore forward scores career high 21 points as Redhawks score 46 second-half points

Sophomore forward scores career high 21 points as Redhawks score 46 second-half points

Dec. 15, 2006

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Sophomore forward Rachel Blunt (Dexter, Mo./Dexter) tallied a career best 21 points, including 19 in the second half, as Southeast posted a 73-68 win over visiting East Tennessee State tonight at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks even their season record at 4-4 and the Lady Bucs fall to 4-5 on the year.

ETSU took an early 15-7 lead with 13:23 left in the first half on a layup from junior Jenny Norman and later increased its advantage to 23-9 on a three-pointer from junior Michele DeVault at the 11:02 mark. The Redhawks then went on 17-4 scoring drive over eight minutes to slice their deficit to 27-26 on a jumper from senior center Joiceline Thesing (Partas Sao Carlo, Brazil/Labette County CC) with 3:35 remaining in the stanza. The Lady Bucs scored five of the final six points of the half to enter intermission with a 32-27 lead.

In the second half, the visitors increased their lead to nine (41-32) on a layup from freshman TaRonda Wiles. Southeast bounced back with a quick 8-4 run to cut to within 45-40 on a conventional three-point play from junior forward Missy Whitney (Charleston, Mo./Three Rivers CC) at the 15:57 mark. ETSU later hiked its lead back to 12 points (65-53) on a layup from junior Kelly Turman with 7:24 remaining in the contest. A 12-0 scoring run by Blunt and Whitney over a three and a half minute span propelled the Redhawks to a 66-66 tie with under four minutes left. Both teams traded points over two minutes before sophomore guard Sonya Daugherty (St. Louis, Mo./Hancock) hit a layup that gave Southeast a 69-68 lead at the 2:01 mark. Junior guard Ashley Lovelady (Elkhart, Ind./Moberly Area CC) knocked down four straight free throws to ice the game for the Redhawks.

In addition to Blunt, Lovelady finished with 16 points and Whitney added 11 points for Southeast. Senior center Lachelle Lyles (Chicago, Ill./Shelton State CC) nearly produced a double-double as she recorded a game-high 18 rebounds to go along with nine points, while Daugherty contributed seven points and three assists.

DeVault paced ETSU with 19 points and five rebounds, while Norman added 12 points and a pair of blocks. Freshman Siarre Evans and Wiles posted 10 points and three assists, respectively, for the Lady Bucs.

The Redhawks are back in action at the Show Me Center on Sunday, Dec. 17 against Jacksonville State in an Ohio Valley Conference contest beginning at 2 p.m.