HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston is on a roll and New Mexico State was the latest team to run into the buzzsaw.
The Bearkats once again held an opponent to less than 50 points in a 71-46 victory over the Aggies at Johnson Coliseum on Thursday. Sam Houston moved into second place in the Western Athletic Conference at 6-1 and improved to 11-9 overall.
Savion Flagg led the Bearkats with 22 points on 5 for 12 shooting from 3-point range.
Donte Powers was 4 for 6 from 3 and finished with 12 points while
Demarkus Lampley scored 10.
New Mexico State (4-1, 15-3) shot just 28 percent from the floor, while Sam Houston shot 53 percent, going 13 for 29 from behind the arc.
The Kats led by as many as 38 with less than 10 minutes to go in the second half. Sam Houston used a 13-4 run to go up 66-28 on a pair of 3s, a jumper and a dunk by Flagg and a 3 by Lampley.
The Bearkats came out swinging in the first half when Flagg hit back-to-back 3s to open the game. Lampley hit a jumper and Ikpe scored on a layup and just like that Sam Houston was up 10-0.
Karwowski threw down an alley hoop from
Damon Nicholas Jr. to ignite another run by the Kats. Powers hit one of his three 3-points on the half to increase the lead to 28-13, and Ray knocked down a jumper right before another basket by Powers to push the advantage to 20.
Sam Houston once again played locked down defense in the first half. After setting a school record for fewest points allowed (12) in a half at the Division I level in a 49-41 win over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, the Bearkats held the Aggies to only 18 to go into the half up 20.
New Mexico State shot only 25 percent from the floor while Sam Houston shot 54 percent including 7 for 13, or 75 percent, from long range.
