LAS VEGAS — The Bearkats have relied on defense to win 24 games this season, and it needed it again to get No. 25.
Top-seeded Sam Houston held California Baptist to 32 percent shooting to advance to the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament with a 64-41 on victory Thursday at the Orleans Arena. The Bearkats (25-6) will face either No. 4 Seattle U or No. 5 Grand Canyon on Friday at 6 p.m.
Donte Powers scored a game-high 21 points on 4 for 7 shooting from 3-point range.
Qua Grant and
Damon Nicholas Jr. each chipped in nine points.
Sam Houston jumped out to a 33-17 lead in the first half when
Lamar Wilkerson knocked down a jumper and
Javion May scored on a fastbreak layup to end the period.
The Bearkats went cold offensively to begin the second half. Sam Houston didn't score for the first four minutes of the half until Wilkerson hit a jumper, but the Lancers only managed to score four points during that time.
The Kats seemed poised to run away with it when Wilkerson scored back-to-back baskets including a 3 to ignite a 9-0 run capped by a jumper by Nicholas Jr. and a layup by
Kian Scroggins to make it 42-21 at the 14:01 mark.
Sam Houston, however, hit another ice patch and didn't score a field goal for six minutes until Powers hit a step-back jumper at the 5:07 mark. As was the case earlier, CBU didn't do much with the opportunity as the Kats led 54-38.
The Lancers gave Sam Houston problems with a press down the stretch, but only managed to get within nine with a minute to go. The Kats were able to close it out at the free throw line.
