Jabari Peters scored 26 points, his second highest performance of the season, for Sam Houston in an 80-73 loss to Oral Roberts Saturday in Tulsa.

The Eagles were led in scoring by Korey Billbury with 29 points and Shawn Glover with 21. The loss dropped Sam Houston to 19-9 for the year and 11-5 in Southland play. ORU stands 16-13 for the season and 10-6 in the league.

“Billbury and Glover are two good players. We did everything we could do to stop them and just couldn't do it,” SHSU head coach Jason Hooten said. “We played harder tonight. I was happy with how we play offensively. We just didn't get the stops when we needed to.”

Sam Houston shot 51.9 per cent from the field (27-of-52) including 10 three point field goals. A key for the Eagles was a 31-21 rebounding advantage.

Kaheem Ransom added 10 points for the SHSU men

The Bearkats opened up a nine-point lead, 17-8, in the first nine minutes of the contest. ORU fought back, going on a 17-5 run to go up by three, 25-22 at the 4:15 mark.

Sparked by a three-pointer by Peters, the SHSU men finished the period with a 13-9 run to lead 35-34 at intermission.

Again in the second period, Sam Houston built an early lead, going up 51-44 on a Ransom basket at 13:23. ORU again rallied, taking the lead 61-60 at the eight minute mark.

Two baskets by Peters put Sam Houston back up 72-69 with three minutes left. But the Kats would score only one more basket and a free throw the rest of the game as ORU finished the contest with a 9-3 run.

Sam Houston completes regular season action at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum next week, facing Southeastern Louisiana at 7:45 p.m.  Thursday and New Orleans Saturday at 3:45 p.m.