CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (SEMO ATHLETICS)  –� scored 14 points as Southeast Missouri (3-8, 1-4) dropped a 64-50 decision to Morehead State (9-6, 6-2) Saturday at the Show Me Center.
SEMO played for the first time in over a week after being on pause since Jan. 8 due to COVID-19 protocols. The Redhawks practiced only once and had a pregame shootaround before today's contest.
The Redhawks and Eagles were tied, 31-31, at haltime, but MSU dominated the second half to claim its fifth-straight victory and eighth in its last 10 games.
MSU opened the second stanza with an 8-0 run and outscored SEMO, 33-19, in the final 20 minutes. The Redhawks couldn't get the Eagles lead under five points at any point following MSU's surge. Akenten's dunk narrowed MSU's lead to 42-37 with 12:51 left.
Johni Broome made two free throws to give the Eagles their largest lead at 64-46 before finishing off the victory.
Akenten started the game strong burying his first two 3-pointers in the opening 1:32 of the contest.Â
After Akenten made his second trey, MSU responded with a 15-0 run and took a double-digit lead (17-6) on LJ Bryan's two free throws with 12:02 remaining in the first half.
Akenten later pulled the Redhawks within three on another 3-pointer that made it a 21-18 game at the 6:53 mark.
SEMO then fell behind by eight before outscoring MSU, 12-4, in the last 4:36 bringing the contest to a 31-31 deadlock at the intermission. Akenten's fourth 3-pointer tied the game with 41 seconds left in the opening stanza.
The Redhawks shot 50 percent (12-of-24) from the field in the first half and posted a 40.9 percent clip (18-of-44) for the game. SEMO also turned the ball over 19 times. Those miscues led to a hefty 22-2 advantage in points off turnovers for MSU.
Akenten scored double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season. He shot 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-7 from downtown. Akenten also grabbed five rebounds and made four 3-pointers in a game for the third time this year.
,ĚýĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺĚý followed with six points each. SEMO outrebounded MSU, 32-31.
Additionally, nearby Sikeston native  saw his first NCAA Division I action. Long played six minutes off the bench after recently being ruled eligible by the NCAA after transferring to SEMO from Maryville University.
James Baker, Jr. led four Eagle starters in double figures with 14 points. DeVon Cooper and Skyelar Potter added 11 apiece and Broome chipped in 10.
MSU shot 46 percent (23-of-50) from the floor and held SEMO to a season low in points and points in a half. The Eagles boast the Ohio Valley Conference's second-best scoring defense.
SEMO will hit the road for its next four games. The Redhawks begin their lengthy trip at Tennessee State Jan. 19.
