Lubbock - Sophomore Britni Martin scored a career high 34 points to lead the Sam Houston women to a 73-59 victory over American University of Washington D. C. on the first day of action at the Texas Tech World Vision Classic at United Spirit Arena Friday night.
The victory upped the Bearkat women's season record to 4-1, Sam Houston's best season start since beginning the 1993-94 schedule with a 5-1 mark.
Martin hit 13-of-18 from the field including a 6-of-10 performance from three-point range to come within four points of the Bearkat women's single game record of 38 points set by Sirena Autman against Grambling in 1989.
"She was in the zone," head coach Brenda Nichols said. "Britni was huge for us tonight."
The total marked Martin's second 30-point game as a Bearkat. The Conroe product scored 31 points against Lamar as a freshman.
Sam Houston battled back from a 10-point deficit to win the game. The Kats trailed 24-14 after the first 13 minutes of play. But SHSU finished the half with a 19-4 run to take a 33-28 lead into the locker room at intermission.
"After the first half I didn't think we were focused on the right things," Nichols said. "At halftime we rechecked our attitudes, pulled it together and played like a real team. I was proud of the way they responded."
Sequeena Thomas, who scored 10 points for Sam Houston, gave the Kats their first lead with a layup with 2:51 before halftime to make the score 29-28.
American (2-3) kept the game close early in the second half, pulling to within three points 41-38 with 15:12 to play. Sam Houston went on a 20-5 run to build an 18 point lead after a jumper by Martin made the score 61-43 at the 7:11 mark.
Thomas and Nyha Carter led Sam Houston on the boards, each with seven rebounds. The Bearkats hit 49 percent from the field, going 27-of-55.
Sam Houston will play Charleston Southern at 2 p.m. Saturday in the women's second of three games in the tournament .
