Springfield, Mo. – The Missouri S&T Miners pulled away late and handed the Missouri Southern Lions their first loss of the season as Southern fell 94-88 today in the first game of the Drury Thanksgiving Classic in Springfield.
 
Southern (4-1) was led in scoring with 19 points from Elyjah Clark. CJ Carr scored 18 and added three assists, while Vince Fritz had career-highs with 17 points, five rebounds and four three pointers. JJ Cratit scored 12 points and had a team-high four assists, while Dexter Frisbie had eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Lions broke a school record with 42 attempted three pointers, breaking the previous high of 34 set last set last season at home against Washburn.
 
Missouri S&T (4-0) was led by 10 points from Quinn Poythress, 16 of which came in the second half. Five Miners scored in double-figures
 
Both teams traded baskets to start the game and a three from Cratit with 16:31 left gave the Lions a 13-10 lead early on. The Miners led 18-17 with 14:24 to go in the half, but a bucket from Carr and a three from Carr the next trip down gave the Lions a 22-18 lead with 12:53 to go.
 
S&T led 28-27, but a free throw from Lambert with 7:23 left tied the game at 28. A three from Parker Jennings and a layup from Clark gave the Lions a 38-35 lead at the final media timeout of the half.
 
Three's from Fritz and Clark gave the Lions a 46-40 lead with just under two minutes left in the half and the Lions took a 46-42 lead into the locker room at the break. The first half featured 12 lead changes and five tied scores.
 
The Lions led 51-46 early in the second half, but a three from Myers and a jumper from Scott tied the game at 51 with 16:56 left in the half.
 
 A pair of free throws from Cratit and then a steal and a fast-break dunk from Cratit the next trip down gave the Lions a 66-60 lead with 9:47 to go. An 11-0 run, however, for the Miners, gave S&T a 71-66 lead with 6:16 left in the game.
 
A three-point play from Carr stopped the run and cut the lead for the Miners to just two (71-69) with 5:51 left. Back-to-back threes from Poythress, however, pushed the Miners' lead to seven (81-74) with 3:49 left.
 
A three-point play by Clark with just under a minute to go cut the lead for the Miners to just four (88-84) but that was as close as the Lions would get.  

Southern shot 37 percent from the field and 31 percent from long-range, while making 68 percent of its free throws. The Miners shot 49 percent from the field and 55 percent from three-point range, while making 93 percent of their free throws.
 
The Lions will be back in action tomorrow afternoon, facing off with host Drury. Tip off between Southern and the 17^th-ranked Panthers is slated for 3:15 pm.