JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bearkats needed a bounce back and they got it in a big way Sunday at the Jacksonville Classic.
 
Sam Houston knocked down 13 3-point shots to cruise to a 77-59 victory over Little Rock at the UNF Arena to improve to 2-2 on the season. Savion Flagg led the Kats with 17 points, Demarkus Lampley scored 13 and Jaden Ray added 12.
 
The Bearkats opened the second half on a 13-2 run to seize control of the game.
 
Flagg got it going with a 3 and followed with a layup. Little Rock (3-2) scored, then Javion May answered with five of his seven points on a pair of layups, one resulting in an old fashion three-point play.
 
Flagg drilled another 3 and just like that Sam Houston was up 49-23 four minutes into the half.
 
Damon Nicholas Jr. increased the lead to 52-24 with a 3, and Donte Powers pushed it to 55-29 on a three-point play. Sam Houston led by as many as 29 points when Flagg hit a pair of free throws to make it 62-33 with just over 11 minutes to go in the contest.
 
Powers just missed scoring in double digits with nine points, and Jarren Cook chipped in eight as the Kats shot 40 percent from the floor and 37 percent from behind the arc.
 
The Bearkats came out firing from long range as Lampley hit two  3s in the first five minutes to help Sam Houston build a 12-5 advantage. Flagg added a couple of baskets during that stretch.
 
Powers hit a 3 from straight away as the Kats pushed the lead to double figures at 20-8 with just under 11 minutes to go in the half. Cook scored five straight points to put Sam Houston up 25-12 three minutes later.
 
The Bearkats led by 15 twice in the first half. Flagg hit a deep ball to make it 28-12 at the 6:34 mark, and Ray scored six straight points to send Sam Houston into the break on top 34-19.