Dakarai Henderson and Aurimas Majauskas each scored 12 points to lead Sam Houston to a 62-39 men's basketball victory over Nicholls Tuesday in Thibodaux, La.
The win extends the Bearkats' winning streak to nine games and ups the men's Southland record to 6-0. The victory sets up a showdown for first place in the league when the SHSU men play host to 5-0 Stephen F. Austin Saturday afternoon at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Nicholls, now 4-11 for the year and 1-4 in league play, was held to 32.4 percent shooting from the field (12-of-37) and were out-rebounded by the Bearkats 35-28.
“Coming into this game, we were really worried about our guys being complacent and overlooking their opponent because of their record,” SHSU head coach Jason Hooten said. “These guys are better than 3-11. Sometimes you just don't know what to expect. But we came out and played really well.”
Jumping out to an 11-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game, the Bearkats went on to produce their best defensive 20 minutes of the 2015 season. Sam Houston held Nicholls to 3-of-20 shooting from the field (15%) and out-rebounded the Colonels 20-12 to take a 39-12 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The 12 points were the fewest allowed in an opening half this season, besting the 17 points to which the Kats limited Prairie View A&M in a non-conference game in Huntsville December 20.
The Colonels opened the second half with a 7-4 run but Sam Houston quickly closed the door. The Bearkats eventually built a 33-point lead, 59-26, with 7:26 remaining.
Jabari Peters, who had scored 21 points in each of SHSU's last two victories, led the Kats in rebounds with seven but did not score. Michael Holyfield and Kaheem Ransom both added eight points to the SHSU effort. Holyfield totaled six rebounds and had two blocks. DeMarcus Gatlin scored six points.
“We have a really unselfish team,” Hooten said. “These guys don't care who scores. They just want to win a championship. It seems like someone different steps up every night.”
As a team the Bearkats shot 41 percent from the field (23-of-56). Sam Houston out-scored the Colonels 24-16 in the paint and picked up 34 points from their bench.
