Wednesday, March 12
Huntsville, Ala.
11:30 AM
13-17,5-13CUSA
51
vs
78
Liberty
24-6,16-2CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Sam Houston
10
14
13
14
51
Liberty
16
16
21
25
78
Photo by: Paige Holland
Kats’ run ends in CUSA quarterfinals
3/12/2025 1:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Sam Houston made some noise in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Championships on Wednesday at the Propst Arena before top-seeded Liberty ended its run with a 78-48 victory.
The eighth-seeded Bearkats picked up their first win at the tournament in the two brief seasons they have been in the league when they sent Jax State home with a 55-53 victory in the opening round Wednesday.
Sam Houston stayed with the Flames for the first two and a half quarters despite a solid start for Liberty, which grabbed a seven-point lead minutes into the first quarter.
The Kats began to chip away when Fanta Kone made a pair of free throws to trim the lead to 11-7. The game was close the rest of the half as a jumper by Whitney Dunn, and two more free throws by Kone made it a two-point game.
Nyla Inmon got a jumper to fall to cap an 11-5 run by the Kats as they battled back to tie it at 16. The teams traded baskets from there, but the Flames were able to get a little cushion heading into the break with a 32-24 advantage.
Deborah Ogayemi drained a jumper to pull the Bearkats within six, but Liberty followed with a 3. Ogayemi wasn't done, however, and was fouled on layup which she converted into an old fashion three-point play to make it a six-point game once again.
The Flames went on a 13-3 run to begin to pull away, up 48-32 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Sydney Kemp finally ended a scoring drought for Sam Houston with a pair of free throws, but the damage had been done.
Dunn led the Bearkats with 16 points, and Ogayemi just missed a double-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Inmon added eight points and eight boards, and Kone finished with six points.
The eighth-seeded Bearkats picked up their first win at the tournament in the two brief seasons they have been in the league when they sent Jax State home with a 55-53 victory in the opening round Wednesday.
Sam Houston stayed with the Flames for the first two and a half quarters despite a solid start for Liberty, which grabbed a seven-point lead minutes into the first quarter.
The Kats began to chip away when Fanta Kone made a pair of free throws to trim the lead to 11-7. The game was close the rest of the half as a jumper by Whitney Dunn, and two more free throws by Kone made it a two-point game.
Nyla Inmon got a jumper to fall to cap an 11-5 run by the Kats as they battled back to tie it at 16. The teams traded baskets from there, but the Flames were able to get a little cushion heading into the break with a 32-24 advantage.
Deborah Ogayemi drained a jumper to pull the Bearkats within six, but Liberty followed with a 3. Ogayemi wasn't done, however, and was fouled on layup which she converted into an old fashion three-point play to make it a six-point game once again.
The Flames went on a 13-3 run to begin to pull away, up 48-32 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Sydney Kemp finally ended a scoring drought for Sam Houston with a pair of free throws, but the damage had been done.
Dunn led the Bearkats with 16 points, and Ogayemi just missed a double-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Inmon added eight points and eight boards, and Kone finished with six points.
Team Stats
SHSU
Lib
FG%
.321
.500
3FG%
.000
.435
FT%
.625
1.000
RB
35
36
TO
17
13
STL
7
7
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballRavon Justice Press Conference
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WBB: CUSA Tournament Press Conference Jax State
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WBB: CUSA Tourney Highlights vs Jax State
Tuesday, March 11
