Southeast Missouri State's Brendan Terry stole the show at Liberty Arena, scoring 30 points and grabbing 8 rebounds to propel the Redhawks to an 84-76 win over Southern Indiana. The victory marked a strong road performance for Southeast Missouri State, who improved to 11-10 on the season. Terry's outing was the highlight of the evening, as he consistently found ways to score and create for his teammates.
The first half belonged to Southeast Missouri State, who took a 43-36 lead into the break. Southern Indiana's Cardell Bailey kept the Screaming Eagles in the game, scoring 14 of his 20 points in the first half. However, Terry's 17 first-half points set the tone for the Redhawks, who shot 51% from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Luke Almodovar chipped in with 10 points, helping Southeast Missouri State build a comfortable lead.
In the second half, Southern Indiana made a push to get back in the game, but Southeast Missouri State's offense continued to click. BJ Ward added 13 points and 5 assists for the Redhawks, who shot 48% from the field for the game. Southern Indiana's Ismail Habib scored 18 points and dished out 5 assists, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Redhawks' balanced attack. Amaree Brown added 15 points for the Screaming Eagles, but they ultimately fell short.
The win was a Quadrant 4 victory for Southeast Missouri State, who want to build on this performance as they continue their season. For Southern Indiana, the loss was also a Quadrant 4 game, and it drops them to 5-15 on the year. While the Screaming Eagles have shown flashes of strong play, they have struggled to find consistency this season.
Brendan Terry's performance will be a key talking point for Southeast Missouri State as they move forward. His ability to score and rebound matters for the Redhawks as they navigate the remainder of their schedule. With a net ranking of 242, Southeast Missouri State is still on the outside looking in when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. However, with wins like this, they can continue to build their resume and make a push for a postseason berth.
The loss for Southern Indiana is a setback, but they want to regroup and refocus as they continue their season. With a net ranking of 331, the Screaming Eagles have a long way to go if they want to make a push for the tournament. However, they have shown glimpses of strong play, and they want to build on those performances as they move forward. For now, Southeast Missouri State will enjoy the win and look to build on the momentum generated by Brendan Terry's standout performance.