TULSA, OK ? Despite a season high performance of 23 points and 11 rebounds by Lydia Gonzales, Sam Houston State lost 91-71 to Tulsa in the first round of the Tulsa Hurricane Classic women's basketball tournament Friday afternoon at the Donald Reynolds Center.
Britney Harris and Whitney Smith also scored in double figures for the Bearkats with 19 and 12 points, respectively. Ausha Hartley scored eight points. The loss drops the Sam Houston women to 0-5 for the season. The Bearkats will play at 1 p.m. in the tournament's third place game.
Chanel Johnson scored 20 points and Larrissa Williams added 16 and both pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Golden Hurricane.
After Sam Houston scored the game's first basket, Tulsa took the lead and never trailed again. The Bearkats were down 7-6 when the Hurricane went on a 12-2 run to take a 19-8 lead with 11:12 left in the first period.
The closest Sam Houston came after that was four points, 21-17, on a layup by Smith with 9:07 to go in the first half. Tulsa outscored the Bearkats 21-9 the rest of the half to take a 42-26 lead at intermission.
Tulsa hit 47.3 per cent from the field (35 of 74) while Sam Houston was 26 of 66 for a 31.2 shooting mean. The Hurricane outrebounded the Bearkats 50-30. Tulsa scored 28 points off Sam Houston's 23 turnovers and had 28 second chance points.
