Huntsville, Tex. - Running back Andre Anderson rushed 19 times for 100 yards including touchdown runs of 8 and 1 yards and caught three passes for 62 yards to lead McNeese State to a 33-28 victory over Sam Houston to keep the Cowboys tied for first place in the Southland Conference Saturday at Bower Stadium.
Anderson's eight-yard run with 14:13 to play proved to be the winning score. Cowboy quarterback Jacob Bower completed 15 of 28 passes for 281 yards and one score.
The lead changed hands four times, with Sam Houston taking a 22-19 lead with 3:06 to play in the third quarter on a 40-yard field goal by Miguel Antonio.
Bower hit Champlain Babin for a nine-yard pass to complete a 5-play 79-yard drive to put McNeese up 26-22 with 42 seconds in the third.
Sam Houston freshman quarterback Brian Bell threw for a season high, hitting 21 of 35 passes for 301 yards including a 64-yard pass to Melvis Pride with 3:02 remaining to cut McNeese's margin to five points.
The Bearkats' onsides kick attempt was successful and Bell took the Kats down to the 20 before throwing an incomplete pass on fourth and eight with 48 seconds left.
Pride ended the day with three catches for 107 yards while Seth Patterson had 7 receptions for 63 yards.
Richard Sincere put Sam Houston on the board first with a 67-yard touchdown run on the game's second play. Sincere later scored again on a one-yard run that put SHSU up 17-16 with 1:26 to go before halftime.
Malcolm Bronson and Jarron Jackson each intercepted passes to end promising Sam Houston drives in the second half.
McNeese State upped its season record to 5-4 and stands 4-1 in Southland action. Sam Houston dropped to 4-5 for the year and 2-3 in league play.
