HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston men's basketball team used a second-half surge to pull away for a 79-61 victory over Southeastern Louisiana at Johnson Coliseum Wednesday night.
 
Freshman Bryce Monroe scored a career-high 26 points on four of six shooting from 3-point range to keep the Bearkats (15-6) atop the Southland Conference standings at 9-1 in league play. Senior Demarkus Lampley added 16 points, and junior Javion May just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
Sam Houston shot 46 percent from the field and scored 25 points off 20 Lions' turnovers.
 
The Bearkats used a 10-5 run at the beginning of the second half to build a 16-point advantage. Monroe hit a 3 following a Lions' turnover and immediately stole the ball for a fast break layup to make it 45-29.
 
Southeastern Louisiana got as close as nine in the second half, but never really threatened to get any closer. Sam Houston went back up 16 at 64-48 on a layup by freshman Kian Scroggins and another 3 by Monroe with just under eight minutes left in the game.
 
The Bearkats jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 3 by Lampley, but Southeastern Louisiana came back to take their only lead of the game at 13-12 midway through the first half. Sam Houston responded with a 6-0 run to retake the lead at 18-13 when Monroe drilled a 3 from the top right wing.
 
The Kats closed the first half with a 13-4 run to open up a double-digit lead. Monroe found junior Dylan Robertson under the basket with for an alley hoop dunk to make it 28-20 with 3:24 left in the period.
 
May hit five free throws and Lampley added two more to close out the half and send Sam Houston into the break up 35-24.
 
The Bearkats will host Central Arkansas as part of a doubleheader with the women's team Saturday. The women begin at 2 p.m. followed by the men.