HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Sam Houston State kicked off its three-game homestand on Tuesday evening, putting three players in double figures and cruising to a 78-57 win over Sul Ross at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

The win is the fourth in its last five games for the Kats (7-3) and marks the third time in the last four seasons Sam Houston has started off the year with seven wins in its first 10 contests.

HOW IT HAPPENED
It did not take Sam Houston long to get going, holding Sul Ross (4-6) to just three points in the first eight minutes on its way to opening up a 16-3 lead before the second media timeout. Consecutive buckets from Torry Butler and a three from Dakarai Henderson upped the lead to 23-7before the Lobos used a pair of threes of their own to spur an 8-2 run to cut into the lead.

Sul Ross would get as close as 28-22 after two triples from Xavier Webb, the second coming with just 4:33 to play in the half; however, Cameron Delaney answered with the third of four Sam Houston triples to start a 12-2 Bearkat run that pumped the lead back up to 40-23 on their way to taking a 43-28 advantage into the locker room.

After Butler led the way with a dozen points in the first half, Chris Galbreath Jr. put in 10 in the second period as the Kats 51.7 percent in the second 20 minutes. Two straight scores from the junior forward saw the lead grow to 54-34 before a putback slam from Paul Baxter pushed the lead to 21 with less than 12 minutes to go.

Dewey then got in on the action, dishing out assists to Albert Almanza and Galbreath, while scoring breakaway bucket off a steal on his own to fuel another 11-2 Bearkat run that pushed the lead to its peak at 67-39 with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. 

PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Torry Butler followed up his career-best 17 points on Saturday at Southern Illinois by hit all six of his shots from the field, scoring 12 of his team-best 13 points in the opening half to go with six rebounds. He was joined with 13 points by Dakarai Henderson who drained a trio of three-point buckets and hauled in five boards of his own.

The Kats also got 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds from Chris Galbreath Jr, while point guard John Dewey III played just 21 minutes, but still swiped three steals, dished out six of Sam Houston's 15 assists and made three of his five shots from the field.

KEY STATS
The Bearkats hit seven of its 11 tries from beyond the arc, while more than half of the Lobos' 16 made field goals came from distance. In all, Sam Houston shot 56.1 percent from the floor compared to just 30.8 percent for Sul Ross.

Sam Houston forced 21 Lobo turnovers, the second most by a Bearkat opponent this season, and turned them into 22 points. Additionally, the Kats owned the paint, 32-12.

UP NEXT
The Kats will play host to North Texas on Saturday evening at Johnson Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m.