Southeast Missouri Women’s Basketball (4-20, 2-13 OVC) put up a strong fight but fell short in a 60-52 loss to Little Rock (13-11, 11-4 OVC) at the Jack Stephens Center on Thursday night.
Senior Lexi McCully led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including three three-pointers. Ainaya Williams also had a solid performance, contributing 10 points and eight rebounds. The Redhawks shot 33.3% from the field (20-60), 25% from beyond the arc (5-20), and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. They dominated the boards, outrebounding the Trojans 39-34.
The Redhawks overcame a slow start, shooting 0-8 from the field in the opening minutes. Trailing 19-12 after the first quarter, SEMO bounced back in the second with a 10-6 run, sparked by a 10-0 surge that included key baskets from Williams and Brianna Hill. Zoe Best gave SEMO its first lead with a jumper to put them ahead 22-21, but Little Rock regained the lead just before halftime, 25-22.
The second half saw more back-and-forth action. McCully hit a crucial three-pointer in the third quarter to cut the deficit to one, and Sophie Bussard’s fast-break jumper gave SEMO another lead at 34-33. Little Rock responded, ending the quarter ahead 39-36.
In the fourth quarter, McCully’s consecutive baskets gave SEMO a brief lead, but Little Rock’s late run sealed the game. Despite strong efforts from Best and Hill, who set a career-high with nine rebounds, the Redhawks couldn’t hold off Little Rock’s final push.
The Barn 