CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri shot 53 percent in the second half to pull away from Jacksonville State in a 61-47 Ohio Valley Conference women's basketball contest at the Show Me Center on Wednesday night.

SEMO put together a 21-7 third quarter to extend a one-point halftime lead out to double figures in the third quarter.  In the second half alone, SEMO connected on 15-of-28 from the field and limited JSU to just 34 percent shooting on eight made baskets.  SEMO finished the game shooting 45 percent from the field.   The Redhawks improved to 11-7 overall and 4-1 in OVC play, while Jax State fell to 7-10 on the season and 2-3 in conference play.

Both teams struggled from the start as SEMO held an 11-5 lead after the first ten minutes of the game, but the Gamecocks' offense was sparked by junior Briana Benson's play off the bench.  Benson brought JSU to life in the second quarter with 13 of her 15 first half points.  The Jonesboro, Georgia guard gave Jax State its first lead at 17-16 with 5:04 left in the second quarter on one of her four three pointers in the contest.  JSU took its largest lead of four points at 23-19 with just under three minutes left in the half on a pair of free throws by Courtney Strain.

In the last two games, Benson has recorded a season high in points with 18 in each contest.  She finished 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-9 from long range in 29 minutes off the bench.

The Redhawks would take a 27-26 lead in to the halftime break after Ashton Luttrull scored eight of her 16 points in the first half.

SEMO's 34-point second half was ignited by the play of its leading scorer Bri Mitchell.  After being limited to just two points in the first half, Mitchell heated up for 11 points in the second half to finish right at her scoring average of 13 points per game.  Luttrull added eight points in the final 20 minutes.  SEMO capped off the third quarter on a 9-0 scoring run to extend the lead out double figures with 1:45 left to play.  Luttrull's trey right before the quarter buzzer gave SEMO a 15-point, 48-33 lead heading in to the final quarter.  The Redhawks were 9-of-13 from the field in the third quarter and drained a pair of three pointers.  JSU was held to 5-of-13 in the period.

JSU could not cut the SEMO deficit down to single digits in the final quarter as the Redhawks took their largest lead of 59-41 with 3:40 left to play. 
Sophomore Gretchen Morrison was the only other Gamecock to reach double digits in the scoring column with 11 points.  Strain finished with seven points, while Rayven Pearson added six points.

After three consecutive games away from Pete Mathews Coliseum, the Gamecocks return home on Saturday, January 16, hosting the Skyhawks of UT Martin.  Tip off is set for 2 p.m. and will follow the JSU men's contest with UTM that will get underway at 12 p.m.