With 7.5 seconds left, down two, Sam Houston’s Marcus Williams turned the ball over, letting the Cougars escape with a tight win. Points off turnovers were what kept the BearKats in the game, as they notched 22 of those as a team. The Cougars, despite winning or being close to SHSU in the four factors, had to rally from a halftime deficit yet again.
After trailing by three at halftime, and by as many as six at one point, Darian Thibodeaux’s three pointer with 7:30 left finally tied the game, and the Cougars took their first lead of the second half on a fast break three pointer by Adam Brown with 4:32 remaining. SHSU’s Gilberto Clavell tied the game on a three-point play with 46 seconds left, but Kendrick Washington got the tie-breaking layup on the next possession and Williams’ turnover ended the game for the BearKats.
Clavell led all scorers with 25 points, but he and Josten Crow were the only Bearkats who scored more than eight. Brown led a balanced Cougars attack with 21, and Maurice McNeill chipped in with 16. The Cougars next game will be back in action two Saturdays from now against Rogers State to close out their non-conference schedule.