SHREVEPORT, LA ? Bethany Joseph scored 26 points to lead Centenary to a 74-62 non-conference women's basketball victory over Sam Houston State at the Gold Dome Monday afternoon.

Centenary (3-9) ended a five-game losing streak with the victory. Ashley Jackson added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Anne Farrell led the Ladies with 14 boards as Centenary out-rebounded the Bearkats 55-48.

Sam Houston State (1-12) had three players in double figures. Brittany Brooks scored 18 points, Whitney Smith added 14, and Lydia Gonzales scored 13. Gonzales led the Kats on the boards with 14 rebounds.

The Bearkats jumped out to an early six-point lead on a jumper by Gonzales that put Sam Houston up 11-5 six minutes into the contest. But Centenary went on a 15-2 run in the next four minutes to build a 20-13 lead with 10:02 remaining in the first half.

Sam Houston cut the game to two points, 20-18, on a free throw by Gonzales. But the Centenary Ladies closed the half with an 18-4 run to take a 38-22 lead into the locker room at intermission.

Centenary built a 26-point lead, 61-35, with 8:17 to play. Sam Houston rallied for a 35-9 run in the next seven minutes to cut the margin to eight points, 82-70, on a three-pointer by Brooks. But Centenary hit four free throws in the final 20 seconds to hang on to the victory.

The Ladies hit 38.9 percent (21-of-54) from the field including seven three-point baskets while Sam Houston shot 27.7 percent (23-of-83) with five treys. The big difference in the game came at the foul line where Centenary was 25-of-35 (71.4 per cent) to Sam Houston's 11-of-15 (73.3 per cent).

Sam Houston scored 25 points off Centenary's 25 turnovers while making only 16 turnovers.

The contest completed Sam Houston's women's basketball non-conference schedule for the season. The Bearkats will open Southland Conference action Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when they host McNeese State at Johnson Coliseum.

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