STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton used a hot 3-point shooting performance in the first half to hand Sam Houston a 75-64 loss at Wisdom Gym on Thursday.
 
The Texans (7-9, 2-1 WAC) hit eight shots from long range in the first 20 minutes to give the Bearkats (7-9, 2-1) their first conference loss. Sam Houston rebounded in the second half to hold Tarleton to only one 3, but the damage had been done.
 
Savion Flagg led Sam Houston with 17 points and nine rebounds. Demarkus Lampley added 15 points and Jaden Ray finished with 13 for the Kats.
 
Sam Houston got as close as five points in the second half.
 
Damon Nicholas Jr. sparked an 8-0 run with a layup and Flagg followed suit for his first basket of the game with just over 16 minutes to go. Flagg then rattled off four straight free throws to make it 44-39 only to see the Texans answer with a 5-0 run.
 
Ray got the Bearkats out to a quick start to begin the game. He drained a 3-pointer on the first possession of the contest, then he stole the inbound pass and laid it in for a 5-0 lead.
 
Tarleton used long range shots to begin to pull away in the opening period. The Texans went 8 for 13 from behind the arc to led by as many as 12 at 40-28 in the first half.
 
Lampley hit a pair of free throws and Nicholas added one to cut the lead to nine with a minute and a half to go. Tarleton was able to score right before the end of the period to go into the locker room up 42-31 at the break.