Box Score
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Eastern Illinois had four starters score in double figures but a couple of early runs by Southeast Missouri gave the Redhawks the separation they needed to pick up a 78-64 win over the Panthers at the Show Me Center.
EIU fell to 9-19 overall, 5-10 in the OVC. SEMO improved to 14-14 overall, 9-6 in the OVC.
SEMO put together early runs of 7-0 and 5-0 to push out to a 12-5 lead. The Redhawks pushed the lead to 20 on a 12-0 run that included a four-point play by Phillip Russell as he was one of four SEMO players in double figures.
EIU trailed 47-29 at the half. EIU shot 56 percent in the second half but could never get closer than ten points in the second half.Â
Nick Ellington led EIU with 17 points and eight rebounds.Â
Sincere Malone had three first half steals to set the EIU freshman record for steals in a season. He would add one more in the second half to move into the EIU single season Top 10 with 55. Malone added ten points.
Kinyon Hodges returning to his hometown of Cape Girardeau had 12 with
Cameron Haffner adding 10.
Aquan Smart led SEMO with 14 points. Dylan Branson had 12 points knocking down four 3-pointers. SEMO was 9-of-32 from 3-point range in the game.Â