Eagle Women Start Fast, Hang On for 64-61 Win at Southeast Missouri

Morehead, Ky. -- Freshman Chrishawn Coleman poured in a career-high 26 points and fellow freshman Maia Rosarion posted career-highs with 20 points and 15 rebounds as the Morehead State women's basketball team held on for a 64-61 over Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, Mo., Saturday afternoon.

Coleman tallied 20 points in the first half on 7-9 shooting from the field and 6-8 shooting for the free throw line.  For the game, the freshman from Arlington, Tex., went 8-14 from the floor and 10-12 from the free throw line. She also recorded six steals in the game.

Rosarion stuffed the stat sheet, ending with 20 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and four steals, all career-highs. She shot 8-14 from the field and 4-5 from the free throw line.

Morehead State (7-9, 2-4 OVC) got off to a fast start, scoring the game's first seven points. Southeast Missouri (4-11, 2-4 OVC) finally got on the board with a bucket at the 6:39 mark and responded with an 8-0 in just 1:13 of game time. The quarter featured four lead changes and MSU went to the break ahead 21-14.

The Eagles kept up the pace in the second quarter outscoring the Redhawks 16-10 in the second ten minutes to take a 37-24 lead into the intermission. SEMO was forced into 12 turnovers in the half, leading to a 17-2 advantage in points off turnovers. In the half, the Eagles shot 15-33 (46%) from the field to just 8-29 (28%) for SEMO.

Morehead State saw their fortunes reverse in the third period. The Eagles could only hit 3-14 (21%) from the floor, committed five turnovers leading to 10 Redhawk points and were outscored by SEMO 21-11, leaving MSU clinging to a 48-45 lead heading into the final frame.

Southeast Missouri scored first in the fourth quarter to tie it at 48-48. Morehead then went on a 7-0 run capped by two free throws by Coleman with 6:22 to go.  The Redhawks responded with a nine-point run of their own to take the lead 60-58 with 1:42 to go.

After the teams traded free throws, Kate Novik made a driving layup with 41 seconds to go to tie the game at 61-61. SEMO came back and Da'Kariya Jackson drove the right baseline for a shot that was blocked by Rosarion.

After a MSU timeout, Coleman missed a jumper on the wing, but the rebound was grabbed by Rosarion who made the put-back and the ensuing foul shot for the game winner.

Jackson, in just her second game for SEMO, led the Redhawks with 20 points. Zoe Best and former Morehead State player Skylar Barnes finished with 10 each.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Coleman's 20 first half points is the first time an MSU player has scored 20 in a half since Miranda Crockett scored 20 in the second half of a game at Eastern Kentucky on March 2, 2019.
• The Eagles shot 24-59 (40.7%) from the floor, while SEMO went 22-62 (35.5%).
• The Eagles shot 15-19 (78-9%) from the free throw line; that's the highest efficiency of the season. SEMO managed just 10-18 for 55.6%.
• MSU had a 44-30 advantage in points in the paint.
• There were four ties and six lead changes in the game.