HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Sam Houston State men's basketball used steady offensive play and a tenacious defensive effort, drubbing LeTourneau, 104-57 in the season opener on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,596 spectators at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
The Bearkats (1-0) shot an impressive 55.9 percent from the field led by John Dewey III's 18 points and 7-for-9 performance in 20 minutes. Dewey, making his first start in a Bearkat uniform after transferring from Blinn, was joined by three others in double-digit scoring including Aurimas Majauskas (12), Cameron Delaney (11) and Phillip Jones Jr. (10).
Defensively, Sam Houston limited LeTourneau (0-1) to just 28.6 percent shooting in the first half and 30.8 percent for the game. The Bearkats forced 16 turnovers and registered nine steals including three from Chris Galbreath Jr., who added six points and five boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With the game tied at 15-15 with 12:39 in the first half, Sam Houston went on an 8-0 run over the next 2 ½ minutes courtesy of a three-point play by senior guard Jovante' Spivey who drew the foul and sunk the free throw.
Another pair of Spivey shots from the charity stripe pushed the Bearkat advantage to double-digits for the first time with 7:51 in the frame. In his first season since transferring from Blinn, John Dewey III got off to a strong start, sinking a 3-pointer to push the Sam Houston advantage to 15 points with 7:06 in the first half. The sophomore added 18 points on the afternoon.
Dewey's 3-pointer began a 17-2 run by the Bearkats to close out the first half that spanned six minutes and took a 51-25 lead into the break. Sam Houston shot 48.6 percent in the opening frame, holding LeTourneau to 28.6 percent from the field.
Sam Houston pushed its lead early in the second period, using a 9-0 run to double-up LeTourneau and maintain a 63-30 advantage with 15:38 to go. Another 8-0 Bearkat run midway through the frame allowed head coach Jason Hooten to continue diving into his bench. The Kats played 13 players on the afternoon and did not let up with the reserves to the tune of 70 bench points.
The Bearkats controlled the glass, outrebounding LeTourneau, 48-27, led by an impressive 11 from Torry Butler, who also added seven points in just 18 minutes. Albert Alamanza and Jamal Williams each recorded four rebounds.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Sophomore transfer guard John Dewey III led all scorers with 18 points on Saturday. He went 7-for-9 from the floor and 1-for-2 behind the arc. Dewey also tallied five assists and two rebounds in his Bearkat debut. On the defensive side of the ball, he had two of the team's nine steals.
KEY STATS
Sam Houston shot 63.6 percent from the field in the second half including a 5-for-10 performance from behind the arc. Seven of the Kats' nine steals came during the second half.
UP NEXT
Sam Houston hits the road for the first time this season, visiting Ohio on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Athens, Ohio. The Bearkats return home again next Thursday to take on Southern at 6:30 p.m. from Johnson Coliseum.
