Huntsville, Texas – Led by Kaheem Ransom and Jabari Peters who combined for 36 points, Sam Houston rallied from 10 down to defeat LIU-Brooklyn 82-78 Saturday afternoon at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
The contest marked the Bearkats' final non-conference game of the season.
Ransom scored 20 points and Peters 16 for the Kats who upped their season mark to 8-4, Sam Houston's best season start since the 2007-08 team won its opening 10 games.
Senior guard Jason Brickman, a San Antonio Clark product, led LIU-Brooklyn with 26 points and 13 assists. The Blackbirds dropped to 4-8 for the year.
"We made the plays when we needed to," SHSU head coach Jason Hooten said. "I've got a lot of high aspirations for this team. I think there's a lot o things we can go better."
LIU jumped out to a 15-5 lead in the first eight minutes but Sam Houston rallied to cut the Blackbirds' margin to one point, 38-37 at intermission.
Paced by Brickman, whose 26 points were a four-year career high as he went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and 11-for-11 at the line, LIU built their lead back to eight, 58-50 with 7:54 remaining.
Sam Houston responded with a 16-7 run. James Thomas, who scored 11 points for SHSU, gave the Bearkats their first lead of the game with a pair of free throws at the 5:07 mark to make the score 66-65.
The Kats never trailed again. Peters hit a 3-pointer to expand the lead to 69-65 and start a 12-5 run in the next four-and-a –half minutes. Peters later hit another three that kept the run alive.
In the final two minutes, Thomas, Peters and Ransom combined to go 7-for-7 at the line to preserve the lead.
"We work on free throws every day," Thomas said. "It's the little things that help a team win."
Nathaniel Mason of Sam Houston added 16 points and Gerrell Martin and Landon Atterbery each were in double figures for LIU with 17 point apiece.
Sam Houston now turns its attention to Southland Conference action. The Bearkats open league play on the road, traveling to Northwestern State and SFA on Thursday, Jan. 2, and Saturday, Jan. 4, respectively.
"Getting our guys to play these types of teams is good for us," Hooten said. "We're ready to start conference play."
Sam Houston's next home game will be Thursday, Jan. 9, when the Bearkats play host to McNeese State in a women's/men's doubleheader.
