Box Score ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T overcame a 14-point deficit in the early stages of the second half Wednesday night to draw even with Southeastern Oklahoma State, but couldn't get over the hump after the Savage Storm regained the lead and ended up on the losing end of a 79-72 decision at Billy Key Court.

The Miners forced a high number of turnovers for the second straight game – 26 in all – but only got 26 points off of those mistakes as they shot just 33.3 percent from the field. Conversely, Southeastern shot 68 percent from the field in the opening half and finished at 59.1 percent, while using its taller front line to stifle S&T inside the paint throughout the night.

Southeastern made 11 of its first 14 shots from the floor, including seven in a row in one stretch, to build an early eight point lead. Much of the early damage was done by guard Taylor Smaller, who had 11 points in the first half and Daichi Taniguchi, who knocked down a pair of three-pointers during that early run.

The Savage Storm led by 12 at the half and scored on their opening possession after the break to go up 44-30, then the Miners used their defense to spark a run and draw even in less than three minutes.

Following a pair of free throws by Bryce Foster (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central), Nusrath Khan (Morton Grove, Ill./Maine East) scored after making a steal to cut the lead to 10. A couple of minutes later, Danylo Zuikov (Kiev, Ukraine/LaLumiere School) hit a pair of three-pointers to tie the contest at 48.

Southeastern regained the lead about a minute later on a lay-in by Darius Harris and extended the margin back to nine, but again the Miners chopped into the difference and moved to within a point on a putback by Curtis Okafor (Kansas City, Mo./Bishop Miege) with 8:52 to play.

S&T had a chance to get its first lead of the night after Mudiaga Eruteya (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame) made a steal, but he wasn't able to convert the challenged layup and the Miners were then called for a foul on the floor and a technical, which allowed the Savage Storm to regain a four-point lead.

With 3:13 to play, Foster tipped in his own miss to cut the Southeastern lead to 71-68 and S&T had another opportunity to tie the game on its next trip down the floor, but Eruteya was off the mark on a trey and Smaller hit a runner to put the margin back to five.

The Miners got a career-high 19 points from Okafor, while Foster recorded his third career double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 1:11 to play. In part due to the 26 forced turnovers and only 10 on their own part, the Miners took 32 more shots in the game, but made the same number as the Savage Storm.

Southeastern had five players in double figures, led by Smaller with 23 points and Harris, who had 14 points and added 11 rebounds; the Savage Storm outrebounded S&T 44-36.

The Miners, who dropped to 1-1 with Wednesday's setback, will host Robert Morris-Springfield Saturday at 8 p.m. at Billy Key Court.