LAKELAND, Fla.—The top 3-point shooting team in the NAIA struggled against a tough Thomas University defense as Southeastern saw its seven-game win stream end with a 68-59 loss at home Thursday night.
The Fire (18-4, 9-2 SUN) came in averaging 15 made 3-pointers per game but went just 5-of-29 from 3-point range and committed 18 turnovers, which led to 16 Thomas points.
With 1:02 left in the first half, Southeastern led by eight (31-23) using a 7-2 run to build its biggest lead of the game. Thomas scored the last five points of the half to cut the deficit to three at the end of the first half.
During the second half Thomas committed just three turnovers, shot 62% from the field, and went 5-of-9 from 3-point range on offense and on defense, held Southeastern to just 2-of-14 from 3-point range.
The Fire held a 40-36 advantage with 16:06 to play, but the Night Hawks (10-10, 4-5 SUN) went on a 7-0 run over the next 2:54 of play to go up 43-40 with 13:12 left. Thomas took its biggest lead of the game using a 13-5 run, going 5-of-5 from the field over a 3:48 span to take a 64-54 lead with 4:32 to play.
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Riley Minix 3-pointer on the next possession got the Fire within seven but got no closer as they failed to score over the final 2:38 of play.
Minix led the way for Southeastern with his 14
th double-double of the season, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Devon Ford scored the first six points of the game for SEU and finished with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Jordan Gorman was also in double figures with 10 points.
Southeastern returns to the floor Saturday night against Coastal Georgia at 7 p.m.
