HUNTSVILLE ? Colby Bargeman scored 23 points to lead Northwestern State to a 78-69 Southland Conference men's basketball victory over Sam Houston State Wednesday at Johnson Coliseum.
Bergeman's field goal 1:45 into the game put the Demons up 5-3 and Northwestern State never trailed again as the Demons upped their season mark to 11-13. Northwestern State stands 7-3 in the Southland East Division.
Shamir McDaniel and Reggie Rawlins led Sam Houston with 14 points apiece. Ryan Bright added 11. McDaniel, Bright, and Rawlins each had six rebounds.
Northwestern State went on a 20-8 run in the final 10 minutes of the first half to go up 36-22 at intermission. Sam Houston went seven minutes without a field goal at one point during the run.
The Demons were just as hot to start the second period, leading by as many as 21 points, 63-42.
With nine minutes left to play, Sam Houston came charging back. The Bearkats cut the lead to eight points three times, but could come no closer.
The Demons outscored the Bearkats 40-26 underneath the basket and 24-7 off turnovers. Sam Houston also struggled defending the perimeter, allowing Northwestern to knock down 7-of-15, or 47 percent, of its 3-point attempts.
“We aren't going to give up 54 percent shooting and win,” Head coach Bob Marlin said. “This team isn't deep enough or strong enough to do that. The most we have given up this year is 45 percent to Dallas Baptist the first game. We aren't going to win giving up 54 percent very often.”
On a night when everything seemed to go the Demons' way from the start, the Bearkats came out flat, hitting only 7-of-27, or 26 percent, of their shots to trail 36-22 at the half.
“We came out slow, and like coach (Marlin) said, we aren't that good to come back from 16 points and come back and win when we give up 54 percent,” forward Reggie Rawlins, who scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds, said. “If you look at all the games we have lost, we have given up a high shooting percentage. It all came down to defense and we didn't come up with the loose balls.”
Northwestern State's 3-point shooting was a complement to its inside game. Whenever the Demons missed a shot, forwards Trey Gilder, C.J. Clark and Devin White were there to either put back the shot or keep the play alive.
The Bearkats began to show signs of life midway through the period.
McDaniel made it an 11-point game with another 3-pointer at the 4:25 mark, and two minutes later, Rawlins hit a short baseline jumper to cut it to eight.
The Demons built their big lead by controlling the glass, outrebounding the Kats 21-13 in the first half. Sam Houston turned the tide down the stretch and were more aggressive, winning the rebound battle 21-15 in the final period.
But the Bearkats made a couple of mistakes and gave up some easy baskets down the stretch before eventually running out of gas.
“All year we have been winning with our defense and rebounding, but tonight, for some reason, we didn't come out in the first half and do it,” said McDaniel, who also scored 14 points and reeled in six boards. “In the second half we played harder, but I still think we could have played better defense. By that time they had a big lead and were comfortable.
“Things were just going in for them. But you have to give them all the credit because they wanted it more.”
Senior forward Ryan Bright was Sam Houston's only other scorer in double figures with 11 points and six rebounds. Senior center John Gardiner finished with nine points, while Jeremy Thomas chipped in eight in the loss.
The Bearkats hit the road for the next three games beginning with a trip to Central Arkansas on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
