NACOGDOCHES -- The Soutland Confernece opener had just about everything the Sam Houston State fans could have wanted, with the exception of a victory. The Bearkat men fell on the road to Stephen F. Austin 75-73 at William R. Johnson Coliseum.

The Bearkats had a chacne to tie the game in the final seconds, but with seven seconds remaining Ashton Mitchell missed a layup. The Bearkats played toe-to-toe with the Southland Confernece favorites all afternoon, but never could get over the hump.

After taking the lead brielfy in the second half with 16:45 to play, the Kats were able to cut the lead to just one point on three occasions but never were able to draw even.

Preston Brown had his best games of the year, scoring a career-high 22 points, including hitting three shots from beyond the 3-point line. Brown also helped lead the Bearkats at the line hitting all nine, while the Kats as a team hit 22-of-23 from the charity stripe.

Brown was one of five players for the Kats in double figures scoring, as DeLuis Ramirez (12), Corey Allmond (11), Mitchell (10) and Pevehouse (10) also scored in double figures.  

Sam Houston finished the game shooting 35 percent from the field, and 412 percent from 3-point range. The Lumberjacks shot 50 percent from the floor.

The game was tied six times and had seven lead changes.

Sam Houston led by five points, 46-41, five minutes into the second half after a three-point basket by Brown. But SFA rallied for an 8-0 run to takes a 49-46 lead. The Jacks never trailed again.

Brown was 5-of-11 from the floor with three treys. DeLuis Ramirez scored 12 points, Corey Allmond had 11 and both Mitchell and Lance Pevehouse added 10 points for Sam Houston (6-8, SLC 0-1).

Matt Kingsley led Stephen F. Austin (9-4, SLC 1-0) with 21 points. Josh Alexander added 16.

The Sam Houston State men return home for their second Southland Conference game of the 2009 league race Saturday when the Bearkats play host to Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m.

Box Score

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 75, SAM HOUSTON STATE 73

01-10-09 2:05 p.m. at Nacogdoches, Texas (Johnson Coliseum)

SAM HOUSTON STATE (6-8 (0-1 SLC))

Brown, Preston 5-11 9-9 22; Ramirez, DeLuis 6-12 0-0 12; Allmond, Corey 4-10

1-2 11; Pevehouse, Lance 3-7 2-2 10; Mitchell, Ashton 2-15 6-6 10; Murray,

Drae 2-6 2-2 6; Falkner, Barkley 0-2 2-2 2; Zulu, Arthur 0-0 0-0 0; Crow,

Josten 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-63 22-23 73.

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (9-4 (1-0 SLC))

Kingsley, Matt 9-15 3-3 21; Alexander, Josh 4-13 5-7 16; Williams, Eddie

6-11 1-6 14; Bell, Eric 3-5 2-2 10; Shaw, Nick 2-6 3-5 8; Adams, Girod 1-1

1-2 4; Akpan, Benson 1-1 0-0 2; Harris, Walt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-52 15-25

75.

Sam Houston State.............   36   37  -   73

Stephen F. Austin.............   39   36  -   75

3-point goals--Sam Houston State 7-17 (Brown, Preston 3-4; Allmond, Corey

2-3; Pevehouse, Lance 2-4; Murray, Drae 0-2; Mitchell, Ashton 0-4), Stephen

F. Austin 8-19 (Alexander, Josh 3-9; Bell, Eric 2-3; Adams, Girod 1-1;

Williams, Eddie 1-3; Shaw, Nick 1-3). Fouled out--Sam Houston State-Allmond,

Corey, Stephen F. Austin-Shaw, Nick. Rebounds--Sam Houston State 41

(Ramirez, DeLuis 9), Stephen F. Austin 34 (Alexander, Josh 8). Assists--Sam

Houston State 8 (Mitchell, Ashton 6), Stephen F. Austin 17 (Williams, Eddie

6). Total fouls--Sam Houston State 22, Stephen F. Austin 22. Technical

fouls--Sam Houston State-None, Stephen F. Austin-None. A-4927