SE Takes Battle of Storms Over SNU

DURANT, Okla. – Taylor Smaller posted his fourth 20-point game of the season and Southeastern shot 46.5 percent from the field as a team en route to a 59-52 win over Southern Nazarene on Monday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win was key as it lifted the Savage Storm to 9-10 overall on the year, but more importantly moved its Great American Conference record to 5-6, moving SE out of a three-way tie for seventh and into a three-way tie for fifth heading into a Thursday night matchup at Northwestern Oklahoma State.
 
Smaller shot over 50 percent from the field en route to a game-high 21 points, adding a pair of threes in the process.
 
Sami Bzai was the only other Storm player to crack double-figures with 11 thanks to a 3-for-3 effort form three point range.
 
Danny Powell and Antonio Worthy added nine points each and Darius Harris finished with seven.
 
Harris also dished out a team-high four assists, while Smaller and Bzai added three apiece.
 
Harris was also busy on the glass with a game-best 11 rebounds to lead the Storm to a 35-to-26 edge on the boards.
 
On defense, Worthy, Harris and Trevor Jackson each tallied three blocked shots, while Powell snagged four steals.
 
The Storm never trailed in the contest, opening the game with a Bzai three and a Smaller fast break layup in a very low scoring start to the game in which SE led 5-0 at the 15:34 mark.
 
Southeastern would lead by as many as seven at multiple points in the first half before the Crimson Storm would rally and tie the game at 22-22 with 3:14 to play in the half.
 
Smaller would answer with buckets on back-to-back possessions, converting a three-point play on the second trip, followed by a Worthy layup to take a 29-22 lead at the half.
 
A Worthy layup at the 15:38 mark of the second half pushed the SE lead out to double-digits at 36-26.
 
SNU would chip into the advantage, once closing the gap to two points with 9:17 to play, but the Storm would answer with a Harris jumper and a Bzai three to end the threat.
 
SE would go 6-of-6 at the free throw line in the final minute to preserve its win and fashion the final score of 59-52.