HOUSTON – The Sam Houston State women's basketball team continued its winning ways on Saturday, blasting past Houston Baptist, 97-69, at Sharp Gym.
 
The Bearkats (13-4, 8-0 SLC) still stand as the lone unbeaten team in Southland Conference play with a key stretch coming up beginning next week vs Abilene Christian.
 
SHSU put five players in double figures on a night that saw the offense clicking on all cylinders. Amber Leggett rebounded from a slow night vs Lamar to pump in a game-high 23 points, hitting all 10 of her shots from the floor.
 
Faith Cook drained a trio of 3-pointers and dished out eight assists in just 24 minutes, finishing with a career-best 20 points. Jaylonn Walker added 15 points and five assists, and La'Sha Haynes had 10 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the year. Jenniffer Oramas also had 11 points and five rebounds.
 
In all the Kats hit a season-best 55.7 percent from the floor and 9-for-18 from long distance. They shot just a dozen free throws, but forced 21 turnovers on the Huskies (4-11, 0-6 SLC) home floor.
 
The Kats hit 14-fo20 from the field in the opening quarter and nearly 60 percent for the first half, led by 16 points from Leggett and 11 from Walker on their way to a 33-21 advantage. HBU trimmed the lead to just 10 at the half, but SHSU responded after the break with a 14-point advantage in the third period to stretch the lead out and eventually pushed it all the way up to a 30-point advantage in the fourth quarter.
 
The Kats now return to Johnson Coliseum for a showdown with the defending SLC Tournament champion, Abilene Christian on Wednesday. The game is set for a 5 p.m. tipoff and will be aired on ESPN+, kicking off a rare Wednesday doubleheader with the Bearkat men's basketball team hosting ACU in the nightcap.