Dakarai Henderson scored a season high 28 points including five three-pointers as Sam Houston overcame a 10-point deficit to for an 83-73 victory over Central Arkansas in Conway Monday night.
The victory marked only the second time this season that the Bearkats have won a game in which they were behind at halftime. UCA led all the way in the opening 20 minutes. There were five lead changes in the second period, but, with 6:23 remaining, Sam Houston still trailed by three points 62-59.
Aurimas Majauskas and Jovante' Spivey each added 12 points and Torry Butler totaled 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Bearkats upped their record to 16-13 for the year and 11-5 in Southland Conference play.
“We were awfully flat in the first half but we found a way to fight back and win,” Sam Houston head coach Jason Hooten said. “Dakarai Henderson was a big factor in that. I'm really proud of the way he has become a player who can get himself out of a funk and find a way to succeed. Torry Butler had a big game for us as well. He has been one of our most focused players. We really needed that kind of effort to pull this one out.”
Sparked by three-pointers by Henderson, Spivey and Albert Almanza, Sam Houston out-scored UCA 24-11 in the final five-and-a-half minutes. After shooting only 36.4 percent in the opening 20 minutes, the Kats bounced back to hit 15-of-27 for 56 percent in the second period. Sam Houston scored 23 points off of the Bears' 18 turnovers.
Central Arkansas jumped out to a 10-0 lead as the Bearkats did not score for the first six minutes of the contest. A follow shot by Butler with 13:48 left in the opening period put the first points on the board for the SHSU men.
The Bearkats picked up the pace in the next seven minutes, going on a 19-13 run to cut the UCA margin to two, 23-21, on a bucket by Majauskas at the 6:51 mark. Twice more Sam Houston got within three points, but each time the Bears answered quickly.
A three-point play after a defensive rebound by Butler with one second left pulled the Kats with two points, 33-31 at intermission.
Three consecutive baskets by Henderson to open the second half put Sam Houston in the lead for the first time as the Kats went up by four points twice, 45-41 at the 15:40 mark and 49-45 with 12:37 to play.
UCA fought back to tie three times before going back in front 62-59 with 6:23 remaining. Almanza knocked down two free throws to regain the lead for Sam Houston at 64-63. Spivey's three-pointer from the top of the key as the shot clock ran up was the final straw with 40 seconds left.
Sam Houston wraps up the Southland Conference regular season with a pair of home games at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. The Bearkats will take on Lamar Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday league regular season champion Stephen F. Austin visits for a 7:05 p.m. contest.
