HOUSTON --- Houston Christian University opened a four-game homestand by breaking away from a tie game with 10 minutes to play to secure an 81-70 victory over East Texas A&M University on Saturday afternoon in Sharp Gym. The Huskies trailed by double-digits in the first half but held the Lions to seven points over a decisive nine-minute run late to win going away.
 
The game got underway inauspiciously enough, as the visitors raced out of the blocks to a 7-0 lead and then a 12-4 edge by the first media. HCU would chip away, Demari Williams knocked down a pair and then canned a three-ball to cut the deficit to four, 15-11 with 12:50 left in the opening frame. Nekihare Igiehon then put home a two free throws and the Huskies trailed by just two midway through.
 
East Texas A&M then slowly stretched the lead out. After hitting a three-pointer to ignite things, Damian Garcia would hit another from deep giving the Lions their first double-digit lead at 31-21. Josh Taylor scored in the paint on the very next possession and the lead reached it's largest of a dozen, capping off a 16-6 burst over a five-minute span.
 
HCU responded, and five straight points from Trent Johnson over the final 44 seconds of the half pulled the Huskies to within six, 37-31 at the intermission.
 
That momentum would carry over immediately into the second 20 minutes. Kylin Green knocked down a three to cut the deficit to three and D'Aundre Samuels connected on HCU's next possession to make it a two-point game. Mambourou Mara then forced a turnover on one end before calmly draining a triple from the top of the key to give the Huskies their first lead of the night, 40-39 just two minutes in.
 
From there, the two teams traded baskets for the next 10 minutes of the contest. A massive Mara mash on the break put the Huskies up one with 15:26 to play, but the Lions bounced back to take a four-point edge on a Harrison three from the top of the key a moment later. Ryan Bartley would connect from long range at the 10:25 mark, knotting the game at 55 to set up a race to the finish line.
 
Trent Johnson put home eight straight points, including two triples, the second a side-step three of a dime from Demarco Bethea that handed the Huskies a 61-59 lead that the Huskies would never relinquish. Moments later, Bethea scored on a beautiful backdoor to give the hosts a 67-61 edge.
 
A De'Aundre Samuels triple kept the run going, and a dunk by Bethea with 1:25 to go made the turnaround complete as the Huskies had turned a 13-point first-half deficit into a 13-point second-half lead, 75-62.
 
The Huskies held the Lions to just seven points from the 10:25, 55-all tie to the 13-point lead with 1:25 to play, a game-deciding 20-7 sprint that put the game out of reach.
 
After knocking down 46% from the arc in the first half, the Lions were held to just 29% in the second, and struggled from the charity stripe as well, hitting just 8-16 on the day. HCU, in turn, blistered the nets in the second stanza to the tune of 59% after just a 36% effort in the opening frame. That including a scorching 62% from the arc to finish at 50% on the night, as the Huskies hit a season-best 11 triples in the best shooting outing of the season from long distance. HCU also posted a plus-six on the backboards, a 26-6 edge in points off the bench and doled out 18 helpers on 25 made baskets.
 
Trent Johnson led five players in double-digits for the Huskies with his career-high 19 points off the pine. He went 7-8 from the floor, knocking down 3-4 from long distance while also adding five boards and a career-best six assists. D'Aundre Samuels had a fantastic all-around night as well, posting 15 points, five boards, six assists and a career-high five steals.
 
Demari Williams had a dozen points while Mambourou Mara and Demarco Bethea had 10 apiece. Bethea led all players with a game-high eight boards and tied his career-best of three dimes.
 
East Texas A&M (7-12 / 2-7 SLC) was paced by Damian Garcia, who had 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Ronnie Harrison had 18 and six boards while Gianni Hunt added 15 poitns, three boards and six assists. Noah Pagotto chipped in 12 points and a team-high seven boards in defeat.
 
Houston Christian University improves to 6-12 on the season and 2-7 in Southland play, as the win snaps an eight-game losing streak for the Huskies. The season-long four-game homestand continues on Monday night as HCU hosts Northwestern State University, which fell 76-74 at Incarnate Word on Saturday.
 
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