The Sam Houston women’s basketball team defeated Jacksonville State 55-53 in the first round of the Conference USA tournament on Tuesday in Huntsville, Alabama.

This was the third time these two teams had played this season, with the first two games resulting in a win for the Bearkats. This game was no different, as SHSU picked up its first-ever CUSA tournament win.

The Bearkats trailed by nine in the first quarter but were able to tie the game at 29-29 by halftime. Junior guard Whitney Dunn pointed to communication when asked about overcoming this slow start.

“We have to talk to each other and just do what we have to do,” Dunn said.

The second half was competitive throughout, with both teams trading one- and two-point leads all the way until the final buzzer. In the final play, the Bearkats’ defense held the Gamecocks from scoring.

It was a physical matchup, with both teams finishing with 24 fouls. There were numerous turnovers on both sides of the ball, but the 31 from the Gamecocks helped the Bearkats, who finished with 23.

“I was so proud of how my girls fought, especially coming into the end of the game,” SHSU head coach Ravon Justice said. When asked about the physicality of the game, she added, “It took the whole team today. …We were very aggressive going into the game, and yes, we got into foul trouble.”

Sam Houston struggled at finishing shots, going 18-of-54 from the field and shooting just 57.1% on free throws. Justice emphasized after the game that the team needs to focus on finishing and layups to produce the way they should.

Junior forward Nyla Inmon led Sam Houston with 17 points. Junior guard Fanta Kone added 15 points, including six from beyond the 3-point arc, with her defense playing a key role in stopping the Gamecocks.

“Everybody played their role very well,” Inmon said.

The Bearkats will play Liberty on Wednesday in CUSA tournament quarterfinals. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., with ESPN+ carrying the broadcast.