COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Cam Mathews scored a game-high 34 points and Tennessee Tech used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from Southeast Missouri State for a 79-66 victory in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Eblen Center.

The Golden Eagles, improving to 8-1 overall, broke open a tight contest by outscoring the Redhawks 25-14 in the pivotal third period. That run transformed a 34-33 halftime lead into a 59-47 advantage entering the final quarter, a margin Southeast Missouri State could not overcome.

Mathews, a 5-foot-7 guard from Keller, Texas, was the catalyst throughout, playing 36 minutes and shooting 10 of 19 from the field. She was particularly effective from the free-throw line, making 11 of 12 attempts, and added four three-pointers. Her performance anchored a Tennessee Tech offense that, while not efficient from the field overall at 26 for 69, capitalized on second chances and perimeter shooting.

The Golden Eagles grabbed a staggering 26 offensive rebounds, leading to 21 second-chance points and helping offset an 18-turnover performance. They also connected on 11 three-pointers compared to just one for the Redhawks, a 30-point disparity from beyond the arc that proved decisive.

Southeast Missouri State, which fell to 3-6, stayed competitive early behind the play of Raissa Nsabua. The 5-foot-10 guard from Ottawa, Canada, logged 37 minutes and led the Redhawks with 15 points, three assists and three steals. Ainaya Williams added 12 points and Da’Kariya Jackson contributed 11 points and a block.

The game was a tale of contrasting offensive styles. Tennessee Tech relied on volume and rebounding, posting an offensive rating of 110.6 points per 100 possessions. Southeast Missouri State struggled with its shooting touch, finishing 25 of 63 from the floor and a frigid 1 of 16 from three-point range, resulting in an offensive rating of 89.4.

LaReesha Cawthorn and Chloe Larry each scored 14 points for Tennessee Tech, with Cawthorn adding nine rebounds. Reagan Hurst facilitated the offense with a team-high four assists to go with 11 points.

For the Redhawks, the offensive struggles extended to the free-throw line, where they made only 15 of 27 attempts. They did force 18 Tennessee Tech turnovers and committed only 11 of their own, but could not translate those extra possessions into enough points.

The most important stretch of the game began early in the third quarter. Leading 36-34, Tennessee Tech unleashed a 13-2 run fueled by its defensive activity and three-point shooting. Mathews hit a three-pointer, Larry connected on another, and Cawthorn converted inside as the Golden Eagles built a 49-36 lead. Southeast Missouri State never got the deficit back to single digits after the 5:19 mark of the third quarter.

The Golden Eagles maintained their comfortable lead throughout the fourth quarter, with Mathews scoring 10 points in the final period to quell any notion of a Redhawks comeback.

A crowd of 574 watched as Tennessee Tech continued its strong start to the season, which includes a 3-0 mark in non-conference home games against Division I opponents. Southeast Missouri State saw its two-game winning streak snapped.

Both teams return to OVC action Saturday. Southeast Missouri State travels to face Tennessee State, while Tennessee Tech hosts Tennessee-Martin.