Alva Review-Courier -

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Olivia Potter triggered a big third-quarter surge as Southeastern pulled away in the second half for a 77-61 victory over Southern Arkansas on Saturday afternoon in Magnolia, Ark.

The win lifts the Savage Storm to 3-1 to open the season and 2-0 after the first weekend of Great American Conference play and they will now enjoy an eight-day break before hosting Texas A&M-Commerce at 2 p.m. on Nov. 27.

Potter finished the contest with 20 points, but turned in 14 of those in the third quarter, including the first nine points of the frame for SE. She finished the day 6-of-13 from the floor overall and 6-of-11 from three point range.

Rachel Wallace followed with 14 points which included a pair of threes and a 4-for-4 effort at the free throw line, while Katie Webb added 11.

Kierra Davis added eight points off the bench, while Emem David chipped in seven.

Sa'Liesha Hunter triggered the offense with a game-high seven assists as the Storm finished with 17 across from just eight turnovers.

Southeastern had a rough shooting outing at 34.8 percent, but did connect on 11 threes as a team and go 18-of-20 overall from the free throw line.

Webb and David hauled in a team-high six rebounds each, while Jordan Dawson was next in line with four.

Webb also rounded out a solid defensive effort with a pair of blocked shots and three steals.

SE's only advantage came in taking advantage of SAU's 18 turnovers where they converted it into a 19-10 edge in scoring off miscues.

The Storm fell behind out of the gate as the Muleriders used a 9-0 run to open up an 11-3 lead.

It was Potter's first three of the contest which stopped that run and after Hunter added a three it was Potter with a second three to give SE a 12-11 lead.

Southeastern led by as many as seven points over the remaining first quarter, going up 20-134 on an Ariannah Kemp layup before settling on a 20-16 lead after one quarter.

The home team would erase a seven-point Storm lead in the second quarter to take a 31-30 lead and would tie the game at 33-33 a minute and a half later, but a Webb layup with 37 second to go off an Alix Robinson assist would put SE up 35-33 at the break.

Southeastern would kick off the second half with a 15-2 run triggered by a trio of Potter threes and was capped by a pair of David free throws to take a 50-35 lead.

SAU would reel in the deficit to 10 points by the 2:14 mark, but five-straight Potter points would trigger an 8-0 run and SE would lead by18 points before taking a 60-43 lead into the final quarter.

A Wallace layup in transition at the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter would give the Storm its largest lead of the day at 71-50 and they would cruise to the finish and a 77-61 victory.