Box Score
HUNTSVILLE – John Dewey III exploded for 31 points, including 26 in the second half, and was the sparkplug for a frantic Sam Houston State comeback that fell just short in an 84-81 loss to Abilene Christian on Saturday at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
The Bearkats (18-11, 9-7 SLC) trailed virtually the whole game and found themselves down 70-63 with just 1:35 to go, but the Kats hit four threes in that span and despite Dewey putting in 10 of his game-high 31 in the final 95 seconds, he saw his desperation 3-point attempt sail just long as time expired.
HOW IT HAPPENED
ACU came out red hot from beyond the arc, hitting six of their first seven tries from distance, including three from Hayden Farquhar to build up a 22-12 lead less than nine minutes into the game.
The Wildcats would go on to hit eight of their 12 tries in the half from distance, leading by as much as 11 points with six minutes to play in the half. Sam Houston stayed in it by holding ACU without a field goal for better than three minutes, midway through the half and got to as close as five with 1:15 to go in the half on a pair of foul shots from Williams who had seven points in the half.
In all, ACU finished the half hitting better than half of its shots from the field while the Kats shot just 37.5 percent from the field, including 2-for-9 from three.
John Dewey III tried to bring the Bearkats back early in the second half, scoring Sam Houston's first eight points of the period and helping the Kats get back to within a 40-36 deficit on a short jumper from the left corner. But ACU responded with a 9-2 run and eventually found itself back up by a dozen on a corner three from Jaren Lewis.
From there the Wildcats managed to keep the Kats at arm's length with Sam Houston not able to get any closer than five points the rest of the way. That came on a pair of foul shots from Chris Galbreath with 4:19 to play, but Drake Green had the answer on the other end with the 11th 3-point basket of the night for the Wildcats.
A jumper from Lewis had the Wildcats seemingly in control with 95 seconds to play, up 70-63, before the Kats began their final push. A three from Dewey cut it to four, but the Kats still found themselves down 74-66 with 48 seconds to go after two foul shots from Jaylen Franklin.
Dewey then made his way to the line and made a pair, and Dakarai Henderson and Albert Almanza delivered threes on ensuing possessions with Almanza's cutting the lead to 76-74 with just 26 seconds to go.
But ACU was stellar down the stretch at the foul line, hitting their final seven. Dewey cut it to one with a late three and after two foul shots from Jalone Friday went down the Kats had one last chance, but Dewey's desperation heave went just long as the buzzer sounded.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Dewey scored just five points in the first half, but caught fire from distance in the second half, single-handedly keeping the Kats in the game. He finished with a career-high 31 points on 7-for-14 shooting. He went 11-for-14 at the foul line and was 6-for-9 from 3-point range. The 31 points is the most points by a Bearkat since Gilberto Clavell had 35 for Sam Houston at Texas State on March 6, 2010.
UP NEXT
Sam Houston will wrap up its home slate on Thursday when it hosts McNeese at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game will be aired live on ESPN3.
