AUSTIN — Sam Houston gave No. 7 Texas all it could handle most of the night, but the Longhorns kept using runs to eventually pull away for a 73-57 victory in historic Gregory Gymnasium on Monday.
 
Savion Flagg led the Bearkats (2-5) with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Javion May added 11 points and eight boards. Demarkus Lampley also scored 11 points, while Jaden Ray chipped in 10.
 
Sam Houston pulled within three points to start the second half after falling behind double digits. May and Ray both scored a pair of baskets to begin the period, and Flagg drilled a 3-pointer to make it 38-35.
 
The Longhorns (5-1) got the lead back to nine, and the two teams traded baskets for a while after that. Texas, however, used a 9-0 run to go up 64-47 with just over seven minutes left in the game to put it out of reach.
 
The Bearkats got off to a solid start in the opening minutes of the first half, but Texas used several runs to open a 38-28 lead at the half.
 
Flagg scored two quick baskets sandwiched around 3-pointers by May and Ray to put Sam Houston on top 10-5. After then Longhorns responded with a 7-0 run, Tristan Ikpe laid one off the glass to tie the game at 12, and May gave the Kats the lead at 14-12 with a layup at the 13:31 mark.
 
Texas went on a 9-0 run to retake the lead at 21-14. Flagg scored two straight buckets to cut the lead to three with just over nine minutes left in the half.
 
The Longhorns eventually increased their advantage to 28-20, but again the Bearkats rallied back. Lampley and Ray each hit a 3, and Damon Nicholas Jr. scored on a layup to time it at 28.
 
As was the story of the first 20 minutes, Texas closed the half on as 10-0 run.
 
Sam Houston ends a four-game road trip when the Kats return to Johnson Coliseum to host Schreiner Thursday at 6:30 p.m.