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FAIRFIELD Ala. – Despite jumping out to an 11-0 lead to start the game, the Kentucky State University men's basketball team couldn't hold off the Miles College Golden Bears, falling, 68-66, in an SIAC showdown on Thursday night at Knox-Windham Gymnasium.
 
Miles (2-15, 1-9 SIAC) snaps a 15-game losing streak and picks up their first conference victory of the season. Kentucky State (5-12, 3-7 SIAC) suffers a letdown after an emotional victory at home against rival Central State on Monday.
 
Kentucky State controlled the game in the first half, picking up eight steals to help get up 14 more shot attempts than Miles. The Thorobreds took a 34-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
In the second half, Miles quickly erased their deficit to take the lead briefly at 35-34 before KSU went on a 6-0 run to grab the lead back, 45-40, with 17:40 left in the contest. For the next three minutes, both teams hit a dry spell, going scoreless as the teams combined to go 0-for-11 from the floor in that stretch.
 
There were nine lead changes in the second half and neither team took a lead of more than six points.
 
A 3-pointer from Miles' Nahum Lockett broke the stalemate and sparked an 8-2 run that gave the Golden Bears a four point lead, 46-42, with just over 12 minutes remaining. With 5:23 left in the game, Ulysses Thomas III hit a jumper to give KSU back the lead, 60-59, but that would be the final field goal that Kentucky State would hit until a meaningless layup from Thomas as time expired at the end of the contest.

The Golden Bears kept KSU off balance by forcing 23 turnovers. Kentucky State was plagued by poor free-throw shooting. The Thorobreds connected on a season-worst 46 percent from the line.

Freshman guard Malcolm Smith led KSU with 17 points on Thursday. Thomas finished with 15 points and four rebounds. Point guard Dorian Jordan came off the bench to finish with nine points, seven assists and a season-high six steals. Darien Wilkins finished with a game-high 11 boards.

Maiscei Grier led Miles with 16 points. William Gray finished with 12 points and a pair of steals. Lockett added 10 points and Hasain Bunnell finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and a pair of blocks.
 
Kentucky State now heads to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a match-up with SIAC opponent Stillman College on Saturday, Jan. 31. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. (CT).