Box Score
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Sam Houston State and Southern Miss were locked in a defensive battle early. That changed in the second half.
The Golden Eagles found their footing in the third quarter, running away with a 58-38 victory against the Bearkats on Friday night at Reed Green Coliseum. The loss dropped Sam Houston to 3-4 on the season and snapped the team's two-game win streak.
Southern Miss continued its dominance at home, moving to 7-3 overall, including 6-1 at the facility. The Golden Eagles hit six straight from the field in the third, stretching a five-point halftime advantage to a 20-point lead just six minutes into the second half.
The Kats, who entered the matchup 18th nationally in rebounds per game, were limited to just 32 and were out-boarded, 45-32. Finished 2 of 13 from 3-point range with Kevyn Ferriera and Jada Ballew punching those in.
The Golden Eagles posted the most points in a quarter against the Bearkats this season, posting 26 in the third quarter. The squad was led by Jayla King who totaled 18 points on 8 of 14 shooting. Lydia Baxter paced play for Sam Houston with 11 points.
Sam Houston returns to home on Sunday, facing off against former Southland Conference rival Texas State at 3 p.m. from Johnson Coliseum. The Kats own a 38-35 all-time advantage in the series but have dropped the last two. From there, the team hits the road for three-straight beginning on Dec. 27 at LSU.
