Macon, Georgia - Langston Hall scored 24 points to lead Mercer to a 60-38 victory over Sam Houston State on evening one of the Progressive College Basketball Experience Classic Monday night.
Demarcus Gatlin and Marcus James each scored nine points to lead Sam Houston. Konner Tucker added seven points as the Bearkats dropped to 1-2 for the season.
Sam Houston's only lead came when freshman Michael Holyfield scored the contests first basket for a 2-0 lead. Mercer, now 3-1, went on a 17-1 run in the next 10 minutes and led 23-13 at halftime.
The Bearkats never came closer than 10 points in the second period, hitting only 29.3 percent with 13-for-42 shooting from the field. Holyfield led Sam Houston with six rebounds.
Mercer hit 38 percent from the floor and out-boarded Sam Houston 43-25.
Sam Houston continues action in the Progressive CBE Classic with games Tuesday and Wednesday against South Dakota State and Niagara, respectively. Both contests tip at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.
The Bearkats will complete this week's four-game road swing against Texas in Austin Saturday night at 7 p.m.
