Wright State
Wright State knocks off Bearkats 88-48
12/28/2009 9:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
N'Gai Evans scored 16 points and John Gardner added 12 to lead the Raiders offensively as Wright State upped its record to 9-4. But it was the Raider defense that opened the flood gates as Wright State forced 16 turnovers, scoring 24 points off the miscues. WSU has held its last three opponents under 50 points.
Sam Houston, now 8-4 for the year, led only once when Josten Crow hit a jumper for a 5-4 margin at the 14:53 mark in the first half. The Raiders roared ahead with a 28-8 run to go up 49-19 with 7:09 before halftime on a three-point field goal by Vaughn Duggins. WSU led 44-21 at intermission.
Wright State outscored Sam Houston 44-27 in the second half. The Raiders shot 57 percent from the field (32-of-56).
The Bearkats hit 25.9 percent (21-of-44) in the first half, their worst opening half shooting of the year. Sam Houston ended the contest also with a season low with 28 percent shooting (15-of-52).
Corey Allmond led the Bearkats with nine points, Aaron Thompson scored eight while Antuan Bootle and Preston Brown scored six each. The last time Sam Houston did not have any players score in double figures was in a loss at the University of Arizona on Dec. 19, 2005. The Bearkats have had at least two players in double digits in each of their first 11 games this season.
The defeat ended a three-game winning streak for the Kats. Sam Houston's last loss came in Huntsville on Dec. 5 against Louisiana-Lafayette.
The 40-point loss was the worst for the Kats since a 51-point 122-71 loss to Texas in Austin in 2003-04. Sam Houston, which came into the contest ranked second in NCAA Division I men's basketball in assists with 21.6 per game, was awarded only six assists in the final box.
Sam Houston will complete its non-conference schedule Sunday Jan. 3 at Western Michigan.
Following Sam Houston's trips to Wright State and Western Michigan, the Bearkats will open Southland Conference action against defending league champion Stephen F. Austin on Saturday Jan. 9 at Johnson Coliseum. The game will be featured in a Southland TV telecast at 2 p.m. and is the opening league contest for both teams.
Tickets are on sale on-line now at www.gobearkats.com.
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