HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston men's basketball team could not rally back from a double-digit deficit in a 77-55 loss to Missouri State on Wednesday at Johnson Coliseum.
 
The Bearkats (1-2) shot just 32 percent from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range. The Bears (2-1) shot 47 percent and outrebounded Sam Houston 39-33.
 
Savion Flagg led the Kats with 12 points and six rebounds. Jarren Cook also scored 12, and Demarkus Lampley and Tristan Ikpe each added seven.
 
The Bears led by 17 at 51-37 after scoring four unanswered points in the second half. Sam Houston was able to eat into the lead when Cook buried a 3-pointer at the top of arc, Flagg knocked in a free throw and Lampley scored on a layup with 11 minutes to go in the game.
 
Missouri State pushed the lead to 19 at 61-42 on a pair of 3s at the 7:23 mark. Sam Houston was never able to climb out of the that hole.
 
The Bearkats trailed by 12 at 28-16 in the first half. Flagg and Cook cut the lead in half with back-to-back 3s with just over two minutes to go in the period.
 
Missouri State closed the half with a 5-0 run to go into the break on top 33-22.
 
The Bearkats will take part in the Jacksonville Classic in Florida this weekend. Sam Houston will play Little Rock at 1:30 p.m. Sunday and either Boston University or Northern Illinois on Monday.