The Sam Houston men’s basketball team won its fifth straight on Saturday night, defeating the Missouri State Bears 86-81.
With the win, the Bearkats improved their overall record to 21-8. They are 13-5 in Conference USA play, putting them in second place with a two-game advantage over third-place Western Kentucky.
After the game, the Bearkats recognized four seniors: Vejko Ilic, Kashie Natt, Po’Boigh King, and Damon Nicholas Jr.
SHSU led at halftime with a score of 43-34. The Bears put a little pressure on the Bearkats towards the end, closing the game on a 21-11 run, but Sam Houston was able to secure the win.
“I was proud of the guys because they fought through ups and downs,” Sam Houston head coach Chris Mudge said. “You could tell how tired we got. You could tell. You could tell foul trouble got to us, but we just kept going and stuck together.”
Jacob Walker led the way for the Bearkats with 23 points. King added 17 points, while Ilic finished with 15 points.
“I think we played a tough team; we just stayed together, and that was the most important,” Walker said after the game.
Michael Osei Bonsu scored a team-high 24 points for the Bears. The Bearkats shot 50% from the field, while the Bears were held to 48% shooting.
Sam Houston will be on the road for its final two regular-season games against Delaware and Liberty, which secured the outright regular-season CUSA championship on Saturday. Tipoff for Thursday’s game against Delaware is set for 6 p.m.
