Southeastern Rally Falls Short at SNU

Box Score DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern nearly erased an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes, but could not regain the lead after closing the gap to one point with 21 seconds to play and the Savage Storm's road woes continued in a 90-85 loss to Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Okla.
 
The loss drops SE to 8-6 overall on the season and 5-3 in Great American Conference play.
 
It is also the third-straight loss for the Storm and the second-straight away from home.  It also drops the team's road record to 2-5.
 
After a pair of SNU free throws with just under two minutes to play the Crimson Storm held an 85-77 lead over SE.
 
With 30 seconds to play Olivia Potter sank a three to cut the deficit to 85-82, and after a 1-of-2 effort at the free throw line for SNU another Potter three would make the score 86-85 with 21 seconds left.
 
The Crimson Storm would go 4-of-4 at the free throw line and the Savage Storm was unable to hit shots on its remaining possessions and SNU held on for the 90-85 win.
 
Emily Williams matched the game-high in points with 28 points, while Potter turned in her first double-digit outing with 11 points on the strength of three three-point buckets.
 
Taylor Richards and Haley Schaefer each added nine.
 
Williams led all rebounders on the floor with seven boards with Kaylie Baxter right behind at six.
 
Richards would also dish out a team-high five assists.
 
SE held a slight advantage in points off turnovers at 10-8, however SNU held a 13-5 edge in second chance points and a 32-18 advantage in point in the paint.
 
The teams were neck-and-neck from the tip before an 8-0 Crimson Storm run turned a two point SE lead into a six point deficit.
 
The Storm would regain the lead briefly, and twice tie the score in the waning moments of the first half before SNU took a 44-40 lead into the break.
 
That deficit grew to nine points quickly into the second frame and the Crimson Storm would hold the lead through the entire second half, growing it to as many as 13 points with 3:22 to play.
 
SE would make a last ditch push , scoring the next seven points and eventually closing the deficit to one point with 21 second to play, but SNU would hit its free throws in the final seconds to hold off the rally.