HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston overcame a 12-point deficit to knock off UTEP 89-87 in Conference USA action at Johnson Coliseum on Thursday.
The Bearkats (12-18, 5-12) trailed 60-51 when
Kalifa Sakho took to the air and used his high-flying abilities to ignite the crowd when he capped a 7-0 run with an and one to cut the Miners' lead to 60-58 midway through the second half. UTEP finally scored, but
Marcus Boykin scored four of his 18 points unanswered to tie it.
Lamar Wilkerson, who made five 3-pointers to set a new school single season record with 101 made 3s, came up with a steal and a coast-to-coast dunk to give the Kats a 66-64 lead. Sakho, who added 15 points six boards, then went airborne for an alley-oop and another dunk as Sam Houston took its largest lead of the game at 70-64.
The Miners (17-13, 7-10) pushed Sam Houston to the wire, but the Bearkats got the job done at the line thanks to free throws by
Cameron Huefner, who finished with 17 points, and Sakho to seal the win.
Wilkerson, for the fourth time this season, matched his career-high with 29 points on 5 for 9 shooting from long range. He is still tied for third in the country with 33 straight double-digit scoring outings and he got off to a torrid start Thursday.
After the Bearkats scored the opening basket, it was UTEP from there. Wilkerson made consecutive 3s to cut the lead to 15-14 with just under 14 minutes to go in the opening period.
It remained a one or two possession game from there until the Miners went on a 6-0 run to go up nine at the 9:17 mark. UTEP used a four-point play to help build a double-digit advantage, but Sam Houston had plenty of fight left.
Sakho got the coliseum jumping when he threw down a rim-rocking alley-oop dunk then a turnover led to consecutive 3s by Huefner to trim the lead to 35-32. Sakho added another dunk on a putback to set up a clutch 3 by Wilkerson off a pass from
Josiah Hammons to give the Kats their first lead since the start.
UTEP was able to get a shot to fall at the buzzer to escape into the locker room with a two-point lead, but Sam Houston had set the stage for what was to come after the break.
Sam Houston wraps up the regular season on Saturday when NM State comes to town for a 2:30 p.m. tip on Bearkat Senior Day.
