LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock fought to the final whistle Saturday afternoon, but a decisive third-quarter surge and 50 points in the paint by Southeast Missouri State proved too much to overcome in a 71-62 loss at the Jack Stephens Center.
The Trojans (14-14, 10-8 OVC) generated 17 second-chance points and showed resilience throughout, but SEMO (10-17, 6-12 OVC) used its interior presence to take control midway through the contest.
"We didn't finish the way we wanted to, but I'm proud of how our team competed," head coach
Steve Wiedower said. "We had stretches where we played really good basketball. We just have to sustain it for 40 minutes. Against a team that scores 50 points in the paint, you can't have lapses."
Little Rock set the tone early.
Brenna Burk knocked down a three-pointer to open the scoring, and
Jordan Holman controlled the glass while adding a layup to help the Trojans build an 18-14 first-quarter lead. The Trojans' defensive pressure forced five SEMO turnovers in the opening period, and their activity on the boards created valuable second-chance opportunities.
The second quarter tightened.
Mya Cotto and
Destinee Salgado answered key SEMO runs with baskets of their own, and Holman buried a buzzer-beating half-court shot to send Little Rock into halftime trailing by just one, 36-35.
"We showed toughness in that first half," Wiedower said. "Jordan hit a big shot going into the locker room, and I liked our energy. We just needed to carry that into the third."
SEMO seized momentum after the break with a 22-11 third-quarter run. A three-pointer from Da'Kariya Jackson sparked the surge, and Kearra Jones' steady scoring inside stretched the lead. Despite Holman's continued aggressiveness — including a layup and free throw to keep the Trojans within reach — the visitors carried a 58-46 advantage into the fourth.
Little Rock made one final push.
Holman and Cotto each drilled fourth-quarter three-pointers to trim the deficit to single digits, and
Alaina Payne's layup and steal helped ignite a brief rally. But SEMO answered at the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the win.
Holman led Little Rock with 23 points and three steals. Payne added 11 points and eight rebounds, and Salgado contributed 12 points and eight boards. The Trojans once again showed their work on the glass and their ability to create second opportunities, but SEMO's efficiency inside proved decisive.
"We'll learn from it," Wiedower said. "This group has responded all year. We're still in a good position, and we'll get back to work. The focus now is finishing strong."
Little Rock will look to bounce back Thursday, Feb. 26, when it hosts Morehead State at 5 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center.
