Hot-shooting Delaware downs Kats

Thursday, March 5

Newark, Del.

6:00 PM

21-9,13-6CUSA

Delaware

10-20,6-13CUSA

Sam Houston

Delaware

Jacobe Coleman dribbles against Jax State

Hot-shooting Delaware downs Kats

3/5/2026 8:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

NEWARK, Dela. — Sam Houston's perimeter defense was not up to the task in an 83-80 loss to last-place Delaware on Thursday evening at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The Blue Hens hit 14 3-pointers to snap the Bearkats' five-game Conference USA winning streak. Jacob Walker led Sam Houston (21-9, 13-6) with 23 points, and Damon Nicholas Jr. and Jacobe Coleman each scored 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Despite being without leading scorer Po'Boigh King, who was dealing with back spasms in pregame warmups and was a late scratch, the Kats made Delaware (10-20, 6-13) work for the victory despite one of the Blue Hens' best shooting performances of the season.

Delaware had a slim lead late when Walker drove inside and was fouled making a layup with a minute to go in the game as Sam Houston overcame a double-digit, second-half deficit. He was able to complete the three-point play to put the pressure on Delaware, which held a 78-77 lead.

The Bearkats just couldn't get over the hump as the Blue Hens were able to hold off a late rally.

Down 53-41, Walker hit a 3 and Nicholas converted a three-point play to make it a six-point game with just under 14 minutes to go in the game. The Blue Hens finally answered only to see Nicholas hit a 3 on the other end.

Sam Houston got a defensive stop to set up a coast-to-coast, reverse layup by Walker who was fouled on the play. He made the free throw to cut the lead to 55-53.

CJ Beaumont was finally able to give Kats the lead at 64-63 when he drilled a desperation 3 while falling out of bounds in the corner at the 7:32 mark. A little over a minute later, Walker hit a 3 for a 67-65 lead.

An 8-2 run by the Blue Hens followed and the Kats were never able to recover.

Those defensive lapses were the theme of the game.

Sam Houston fell behind early thanks to a 9-0 run by the Blue Hens early in the opening period. Coleman got the Kats on the right track when he hit a straight away 3 to cut it 20-14.

Walker and Nicholas both drove the lane for a pair of layups. Nicholas then came up with a steal and was fouled taking it to basket for two free throws to trim the deficit to 22-20 with just over seven minutes to go in the first.

Nicholas also came up with an offensive rebound and dished it out to the left corner to Coleman. He calmly sank the 3 to tie it at 25.

Walker was on the receiving end of Nicholas' next dish to put Sam Houston up for the first time since the opening basket at 28-25 with another long-range connection. Delaware went up 33-30 then Coleman tied it heading into the break with another corner 3.

Sam Houston closes out the regular season on Saturday with a road game at Liberty. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.