HUNTSVILLE — Savion Flagg hit the tying 3-pointer to send the game to overtime and the game-winning shot in a 75-71 victory over Abilene Christian at Johnson Coliseum on Thursday.
The Bearkats (16-11 overall, 11-3 WAC) trailed 63-60 with 12 seconds left. Flagg brought the ball down court then pulled up at the top of the arc and drained the 3 with seconds to go in regulation.
The teams traded scores for the first four and a half minutes of overtime before Flagg banked a shot high off the glass to put Sam Houston on top 73-71 with 23 seconds left on the clock. The Wildcats (17-8, 8-6) couldn't match it and
Jaden Ray and
Javion May both hit a free throw in the final seconds to seal the victory.
Flagg scored a game-high 20 points and had seven rebounds and four assists. Ray added 16 points and
Tristan Ikpe finished with 11.
The Bearkats jumped out to a five-point lead when
Demarkus Lampley, who finished with eight points, opened the game with a 3-pointer and Flagg scored on a layup. After ACU scored its first basket, Ikpe answered with a three-point play to put Sam Houston up 8-2.
The game went back and forth from there over the next six minutes before the Bearkats started to widen the gap.
Donte Powers, who had seven points, nailed a 3 to spark a 9-2 run to give Sam Houston a 28-18 following consecutive layups by Powers, Ikpe and May with just over 11 minutes to go in the half.
The Wildcats got back within five points, but Ikpe hit a pair of free throws and
Javon Grant drilled a jumper in the final seconds to send the Kats into the break on top 38-28.
Sam Houston hits the road to play UTRGV on Saturday in Edinburg.
