HUNTSVILLE ? Led by freshman Khamra Echols who scored 21 points and had six assists, Sam Houston State posted their first home women's basketball victory in two years with a come-from-behind 83-80 effort against Centenary College of Louisiana.
Trailing 37-25 at halftime, Sam Houston (1-2) outscored the Ladies 58-43 in the second period. Echols scored the go-ahead basket on a three-point field goal to put the Bearkats up 80-78 with 56 seconds left. Echols hit two free throws and Brittany Brooks added another in the final 40 seconds to hold on the win.
The contest was an important test for the Kats who suffered through a 1-28 season last year. Centenary handed the Kats one of their early losses in the 2007-08 season, winning by 12 in Shreveport.
“This wasn't the prettiest win we've ever had, but it sure is sweet,” SHSU head coach Brenda Nichols said. “I'm really proud of the way the girls never got down on themselves and kept fighting. This is just a great group and these youngsters are going to keep improving.”
Whitney Smith scored 17 points, Bre Agnew added 12 and Brooks had 10 points to give Sam Houston four players in double figures.
Cierra Bush lead Centenary (0-3) with 19 points. Anne Farrell and Bethany Joseph each added 15 points.
Sam Houston hit only 29 per cent in the first half, but ended the game 29-of-63 for a .460 shooting mean. The Bearkats made 20 of their 32 attempts in the second half.
Smith led Sam Houston on the boards with 11 rebounds.
Sam Houston State now heads on a month-long, eight-game road swing. The Bearkats will play at TCU Sunday and in the SMU tournament in Dallas Thanksgiving weekend.
The Bearkats do not play a home game at Johnson Coliseum until December 31.
Centenary vs Sam Houston St
11-21-08 7:05 pm at Huntsville, Texas
SAM HOUSTON ST 83, CENTENARY 80
CENTENARY (0-3)
BUSH, Cierra 6-10 6-7 19; FARRELL, Anne 6-11 2-2 15; JOSEPH, Bethany 4-10
4-8 15; ZALOGA, Karolina 2-5 5-6 10; JOHNSON, Chelsea 3-9 2-2 10; FOREST,
Leslie 3-5 0-0 6; ALBERSON, Beth 1-2 0-0 3; DRAGANIC, Natasha 1-3 0-0 2;
WEILER, Sarah 0-1 0-0 0; JACKSON, Ashley 0-1 0-1 0; BOTHWELL, Jasmine 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 26-57 19-26 80.
SAM HOUSTON ST (1-2)
Echols, Khamra 6-11 7-10 21; Smith, Whitney 7-12 3-7 17; Agnew, Bre 5-5 0-0
12; Brooks, Brittany 3-11 4-5 10; Martin, Britni 2-6 2-2 7; Gonzales, Lydia
2-8 2-2 6; Ailshie, Leasa 2-6 0-0 5; Hager, Therese 1-2 1-2 3; Livingston,
Lucy 1-1 0-0 2; Renz, Mary Beth 0-0 0-0 0; Slemmons, Micalyn 0-0 0-2 0;
Alexander, Ray 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-63 19-30 83.
Centenary..................... 37 43 - 80
Sam Houston St................ 25 58 - 83
3-point goals--Centenary 9-23 (JOSEPH, Bethany 3-7; JOHNSON, Chelsea 2-6;
BUSH, Cierra 1-3; FARRELL, Anne 1-2; ZALOGA, Karolina 1-3; ALBERSON, Beth
1-2), Sam Houston St 6-16 (Agnew, Bre 2-2; Echols, Khamra 2-4; Ailshie,
Leasa 1-4; Martin, Britni 1-4; Alexander, Ray 0-1; Brooks, Brittany 0-1).
Fouled out--Centenary-None, Sam Houston St-None. Rebounds--Centenary 44
(FARRELL, Anne 14), Sam Houston St 31 (Smith, Whitney 11).
Assists--Centenary 24 (ZALOGA, Karolina 10), Sam Houston St 26 (Echols,
Khamra 6). Total fouls--Centenary 25, Sam Houston St 21. Technical
fouls--Centenary-None, Sam Houston St-None. A-483
