Clouet Paces Storm to Win over SNU in GAC Opener

DURANT, Okla. – Kody Clouet dropped a game-high 23 points to lead a foursome of double-digit scorers for Southeastern on their way to an 86-71 win over Southern Nazarene in the Great American Conference opener on Thursday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 5-4 on the season and 1-0 in league play while SNU drops to 3-2 overall and 0-1.
 
SE will be back in action on Saturday when it travels to Weatherford, Okla., for a 3 p.m. matchup with Southwestern Oklahoma State.
 
"I thought it was better," said head coach Kelly Green when asked about the team's ball movement, "We're a long ways from where we need to be moving the ball. They zoned us some in the second half, which we hadn't really worked much against a zone, but intentionally. We've got shooters, and we've got a drill, a one-more drill that we do every day in practice where they just swing the ball. We told the guys it's just like practice, just stand there and swing the ball, if you've got an open shot, take it."
 
Clouet would finish the night shooting 8-of-16 overall and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc to put together his game-high 23 points.
 
Jett Sternberger would follow with 19 points, hitting 8-of-13 from the field and a trio of threes.
 
Brennen Burns checked in with 14 points and handed out a game-high seven assists, while Kyle Leslie finished with 11 points and added five assists of his own.
 
Burns and Leslie were the team's top passers, combining for 13 of the team's 22 assists.
 
Clouet and Jayden Bridgeman led the way on the boards with seven rebounds apiece, while Robert Briley added six.
 
The teams traded buckets early with both holding leads before playing to a 9-9 tie by the 12:19 mark of the first half.
 
SNU would briefly take a lead at 15-12 with 10:24 to play in the half, but with 6:32 remaining, Sternberger would drain a three to cap a 15-0 run and put Southeastern ahead 27-15.
 
The Crimson Storm would get back as close as seven points, but SE would strike last as a Burns bucket gave Southeastern a 41-29 lead at the break.
 
The Storm would quickly extend the lead in the second half, ultimately pushing it to its largest margin at 64-42 on a Clouet three at the 12:41 mark.
 
SE still held a 20-point edge with 2:59 to play and held off the Crimson Storm over the final minutes for the 86-71 win.