TSU fought to end but couldn't cross the hump as Sam Houston handed them an 82-70 loss Saturday afternoon inside the H&PE.
Texas Southern started out strong with a 13-5 surge to open the game as they were 5-of-6 from the field including a trio of three-pointers. The Bearkats would fight their way back into the contest with a 9-2 run as TSU didn't help itself from the field by shooting only 1-of-8 over the next four minutes.
With TSU ahead 15-14, the contest would go back-and-forth over the next few minutes as Sam Houston's Kashie Nutt was a one-man scoring machine with five points over the next 3:30 to knot the game at 20-all. From that point, the tide of the game would turn in favor of the Bearkats as they closed out the first half on a 23-9 run. Once again, TSU struggled form the field during that span as they went 2-of-10 while committing six turnovers, The Bearkats hit nine field goals during that span as they settled into their offensive groove and saw six players record field goals en route to a 43-29 halftime lead.
The second half was strictly about ebbs and flows for both teams. SHSU led by as much as 15 (48-33) with 17:38 left but TSU would spend the next few minutes chipping away at the double-digit lead like an iceberg. Five points from Duane Posey over the next 1:08 keyed a brief 5-0 surge and cut the deficit to 48-38 but the Bearkats countered with a 7-2 run to up the lead back to 15 (55-40) after Jacob Walker's bucket at the 14:27 mark.
The next 4:31 saw TSU claw its way back into the contest with a 10-4 run aided by four points from Zaire Hayes and Posey as TSU trailed 59-50 with 9:23 left. Troy Hupstead and Bryce Roberts would join the charge from that point and led an 8-3 run which saw them get within 62-58 with 7:14 left. Over the next 3:39, TSU would get within four on several occasions but never could get over the hump as SHSU would find ways to counter each time it seemed they would find a way to erase the deficit. Down 70-66 after Bryce Roberts' free throws with 3:35 left, Sam Houston's Kashie Nutt answered with a driving layup for a 72-66 deficit. TSU missed a three-pointer on its next possession and Sam Houston answered with another driving layup to up its lead to 74-66. TSU would miss its next bucket as SHSU would take control of the game with a 12-4 run.
Hupstead led TSU with 18 points and 13 rebounds while Posey followed with 16 and Roberts with 14.
TSU is back in action at Minnesota next Sunday at 12 p.m.
