Latest loss shrinks SEMO’s conference tournament chances

SEMO's Indiya Bowen defends an opponent during the Feb. 22 gams between the Redhawks and Little Rock.

Photo Courtesy of Carrie Trovillion - Freelance Photographer

The SEMO women’s basketball team was defeated by the Trojans from Arkansas-Little Rock 61-48 on Thursday at the Show Me Center. The Redhawks were led on offense by Indiya Bowen with 15 points and Alecia Doyle with 10.

This loss drops SEMO to 5-10 in the Ohio Valley Conference which has them sitting in ninth place. Needing to reach eighth place for a spot in the tournament, head coach Rekha Patterson said the team needs to focus on themselves and the control they do have but also fight for it.

“I think it's really important that we just focus on ourselves because we do have control. But we have to fight and have a little fight and pride in what we're doing,” Patterson said. “That was the disappointing thing about today. We didn't have that fight and pride that we needed, if you fight and you lose, okay, you live with it, but we didn't fight today.”

SEMO opened the game with good effort on defense, turning forced turnovers into points on the other end. The Redhawks went cold near the end of the quarter which allowed Little Rock to tie the game at 12-12 after one.

A 10-2 Trojans run to start the second forced the Redhawks to call a timeout. Out of the timeout SEMO managed to slow down Little Rock but could not find the bucket, the Redhawks trailed 29-21 at the half.

SEMO's Alecia Doyle dribbles the ball down the court during the Feb. 22 gams between the Redhawks and Little Rock.

Patterson credited the Trojans for making it difficult on them but said her team had several mistakes as well.

“I think you have to credit the opponents. I think we missed some free throws and turned the ball over way too much,” Patterson said. “Throughout the game our defense wasn't great. But in the third quarter, we let them get a lot of layups in the half-court and in transition and we didn't get any, that makes it very difficult for you to win a game.”

SEMO came out in the second half and shortened the lead to five before Little Rock put it back to 10. The Redhawks struggled on both ends of the court and by the end of the third trailed 51-32.

The Redhawks tried to fight back in the fourth but there was simply not enough clock to work with and Little Rock sealed away the win.

SEMO will have one final home game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against UT Martin before finishing the season on the road.