CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.– Alex Caldwell drained a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to help Southeast Missouri (2-2) escape with a 72-71 win over Missouri S&T (1-2) Friday night at the Show Me Center.
 
Caldwell gave the game its eighth tie when his layup made it a 69-69 contest with 47 seconds on the clock.
 
Dulan Scott answered with a jumper to regain a 71-69 edge for the Miners 13 seconds later.
 
Caldwell then buried his game-winner on the Redhawks ensuing possession.
 
Missouri S&T gave SEMO one last scare when it stole the ball and took the last shot at the buzzer, but Mitch Fairless' jumper bounced off the rim.
 
Neither team led by more than seven points during the back-and-forth 135th meeting between these in-state schools. The win, which marked SEMO's 13th-straight over the Miners, pushed SEMO's lead to 104-31 in the all-time series. In addition, the Redhawks picked up their 29th consecutive win over non-Division I opponents.
 
While Caldwell made a big splash at the end, Sage Tolbert led SEMO in the first half dropping in 13 of his points.
 
SEMO shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from the field in the opening stanza, but trailed 44-42 at the intermission.
 
The Redhawks used a 6-0 run to take a 39-33 advantage with 2:14 remaining. Tolbert converted a conventional 3-point play at the end of that surge.
 
Tied, 42-42, with under 30 seconds to go, Fairless made two free throws to give Missouri S&T the halftime advantage. The Miners heated up to make eight 3-pointers for a 57.1 percent clip from long range.
 
SEMO shot 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the field and outrebounded Missouri S&T, 41-33. The Redhawks missed 14 free throws for the night, as well.
 
Tolbert led four Redhawks in double figures with a near double-double 16 points and nine rebounds. Caldwell followed with 12 points, while Quatarrius Wilson added 11 and Oscar Kao chipped in a career-high 10.
 
Fairless turned in a double-double 19 points and 10 boards to lead the Miners. Missouri S&T cooled off to shoot just 3-of-12 (25 percent) from 3-point range in the second half.
 
SEMO opens an eight-game road stretch when it participates in the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara, California next week. The Redhawks will face Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 27), host Santa Clara (Nov. 29) and Denver (Nov. 30) in the round robin tournament.