HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston once again flashed its lockdown defense in an 84-48 victory over LeTourneau on Monday at Johnson Coliseum.
The Bearkats (3-0) held the Yellowjackets to 23 percent shooting from the floor and 18 percent from 3-point range. Sam Houston shot 43 percent and outscored LeTourneau 60-12 in the paint.
Qua Grant and
Tristan Ikpe led the Bearkats with 11 points, and
Damon Nicholas Jr. scored 10.
Kaosi Ezeagu and
Javion May each chipped in nine points, while May had eight boards, just missing out on a double-double along with
Kian Scroggins who had eight points and nine rebounds.
This game was never a contest.
The Bearkats jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first three and a half minutes thanks to baskets by Ezeagu, Grant and Ikpe who also knocked down a 3. Back-to-back shots by Scroggins made it 22-0 before the Yellowjackets even got on the scoreboard.
LeTourneau made a 3 with 12 minutes to go in the first half, and Sam Houston immediately responded 16-0 run to put the game away with a commanding 45-16 lead at the half.
The Kats outscored the Yellowjackets 39-32 in the second half with 13 of the 14 players on the roster logging double-digit minutes. The biggest lead of the game was 51 points when Nicholas Jr. made a couple of free throws with less than eight minutes to go to make it 81-30.
The Bearkats hit the road to face Utah on Thursday in Salt Lake City.
