Box Score

Postgame Interview with Ron Cottrell (video)

HOUSTON – After only going 1-for-2 from the free-throw line in the first half, Sam Houston State went 19-of-26 in the second to take a 69-57 win over Houston Baptist in a matchup of future Southland Conference rivals Saturday night at Sharp Gym.
 
Senior forward Art Bernardi led the Huskies (3-5) with 17 points to go with five rebounds, while senior guard Marcus Davis added 12 points, knocking down 3-of-9 from behind the arc, and leading HBU with eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Tyler Russell had nine points, four rebounds and three assists, while senior guard Anthony Hill hit a pair of threes and finished with eight points.
 
Nathaniel Mason went 5-for-9 from the field, including 3-of-4 3-point range, and went 9-for-9 at the line to finish with 22 points and six boards. DeMarcus Gatlin added 17 points, while Michael Holyfield had seven points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Bearkats (4-5).
 
Sam Houston State shot 37 percent from the floor and from 3-point range and hit 20-of-28 from the line. HBU also matched numbers from both ranges, shooting 32 percent, and going 17-of-25 from the free-throw line. The Huskies outrebounded the Bearkats, 42-40, but Sam Houston State forced 21 turnovers and outscored HBU, 22-13, in points off turnovers.
 
Sam Houston State opened with the game's first seven points, but HBU answered with a 9-0 run during a four-minute stretch to take the lead. The Huskies went ahead 15-11, but the Bearkats scored the next seven to lead by three. Bernardi then hit a jumper, Russell followed with a basket and two free throws as HBU led 21-18 with 6:50 remaining in the first half.
 
Mason and Will Bond hit back-to-back threes to regain the advantage for Sam Houston State, but Hill sank a long jumper and freshman guard Rob Lewis knocked down a free throw to tie the game, 24-24, with 3:07 left. Mason made another three and James Thomas hit a jumper as the Bearkats took a 29-25 lead into halftime.
 
Sam Houston State shot 38 percent from the field in the first half, including 4-of-11 from 3-point range, while HBU shot only 32 percent from the field and 0-for-2 from long range. The Huskies held a huge advantage from the free-throw line, making 11-of-15, while the Bearkats hit only 1-of-2. HBU also outrebounded Sam Houston State in the first half, 20-18.
 
Russell led the Huskies with six points in the opening frame, while Bernardi added five. Bond and Mason each had eight for the Bearkats, with Gatlin adding seven.
 
Hill's 3-pointer at the 18:50 mark of the second half cut the deficit to one, but Mason made four-straight free throws to put the Bearkats back up by five. Marquel McKinney hit a three for Sam Houston State, but Hill answered with a trey of his own to keep the Huskies within four. Mason nailed another three, Gatlin made a layup and McKinney sank a pair of free throws to extend the Bearkats' lead to 45-34 with 13:30 to go.
 
A 9-0 run by the Bearkats put them ahead, 54-36, with 7:21 remaining. Davis drained a pair of threes during a stretch in which the Huskies cut the deficit to 57-47 with 3:38 to go, but Mason answered with a three-point play with just more than three minutes on the clock. HBU was not able to get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
 
The Huskies return to action when they hit the road to face UT Arlington Thursday at 7:05 p.m. in Arlington, Texas.