LAS VEGAS — Sam Houston weathered an early offensive onslaught but could not get the key play down the stretch to bow out of the Western Conference Athletic Tournament semifinals with a 78-75 loss to Grand Canyon on Friday at the Orleans Arena.
The Antelopes opened the game with seven 3 pointers to grab a 21-14 lead midway through the first half. The Bearkats (25-7) kept making baskets on the other end to keep the game from getting out of hand.
Qua Grant, who scored a game-high 24 points, cut the lead to four with a 3, and freshman
Anthony Wrzeszcz made a free throw to make it a one-possession game.
The two teams traded baskets until Sam Houston made its move.
Cameron Huefner made a pair of free throws to give the Kats their first lead of the game at 34-33 with 2:19 to go in the half. He then hit a 3 to push the lead to four, and Sam Houston would go into the break on top 42-36 on a 3 by
Donte Powers, who along with
Kaosi Ezeagu, scored 11 points.
The second half played out like the first with Grand Canyon hitting six 3-pointers, and the Bearkats finding a way to counter.
The Antelopes would regain the lead and go up 66-59 with less than seven minutes to go in the game.
Grant answered with a jumper, and
Damon Nicholas Jr., grabbed an offensive rebound and laid it off the glass to cut the lead to one. Sam Houston tied it and would go back on top 69-66 when Grant converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 4:24 mark.
GCU answered and was up three with 51 seconds to go when Grant made a pair of free throws to get Sam Houston back to 76-75. The Bearkats had some chances to either tie or take the lead, but missed four free throws down the stretch and had to foul in the final seconds.
