Bearkats battle eventual conference champion before 79-73 loss ends 22-win season
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Sam Houston’s season came to an end Friday afternoon in the Conference USA Tournament semifinals, but not before the short-handed Bearkats pushed the eventual league champion to the final minutes.
Playing with only seven available players and without leading scorer Po’Boigh King, No. 2 seed Sam Houston fell 79-73 to No. 6 seed Kennesaw State at Propst Arena inside the Von Braun Center.
The Bearkats finished the season 22-11 overall after reaching the semifinals of the league tournament despite a season heavily impacted by injuries. Kennesaw State improved to 20-13 with the win and continued its run through the bracket, eventually capturing the Conference USA Tournament championship to earn the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
After the loss, Sam Houston head coach Chris Mudge praised the effort and resilience of his team during a season that tested the program in numerous ways.
“This group has been unbelievably fun to coach,” Mudge said. “We have been met with different kinds of adversity, totally out of our control since the very day this season started, and this group embodies everything that we would want to lead as men, and the kind of people that are going to be very successful in life. Because we talk about that way more than we talk about basketball. These guys are every bit of it.”
Balanced scoring leads Sam Houston effort
With King sidelined due to a back injury, Sam Houston relied heavily on its starting lineup for offensive production.
Freshman Jacobe Coleman led the Bearkats with 18 points, while Veljko Ilic and freshman guard Jacob Walker each scored 17. Walker also added six assists while helping run the offense for nearly the entire game.
Guard Kashie Natt recorded a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. His performance marked the first time a Sam Houston player posted back-to-back double-doubles in the conference tournament since Michael Holyfield did so in 2015.
Senior Damon Nicholas Jr. contributed eight points and five rebounds as all five Bearkat starters logged at least 30 minutes due to the limited bench.
Bearkats control early pace
Sam Houston established control early, building a lead through a mix of perimeter shooting and interior scoring.
The Bearkats pushed their advantage to double digits during the first half and held off several Kennesaw State runs to carry a 37-31 lead into halftime.
Turnovers proved costly for Sam Houston throughout the opening period. The Bearkats committed 10 first-half turnovers, allowing the Owls to convert those mistakes into 15 points and stay within striking distance.
Kennesaw State rallies in second half
Kennesaw State opened the second half with momentum, using a 13-7 run to tie the game at 44 before taking its first lead of the afternoon less than a minute later.
The Bearkats repeatedly answered despite the shortened rotation.
Trailing 56-51 with just over 11 minutes remaining, Nicholas connected on a 3-pointer that cut the deficit and kept Sam Houston within reach. Walker later drove through the lane for a reverse layup that trimmed the Owls’ lead to two.
Kennesaw State extended its advantage to seven with under seven minutes to play, but Sam Houston responded with another surge.
Natt made two free throws before the Bearkats forced a turnover that resulted in a Walker tip-in. Moments later, Ilic came up with a steal that led to Coleman knocking down a 3-pointer from the right corner to tie the game at 67 with 4:46 remaining.
The Owls answered with the decisive stretch, closing the game on a 12-6 run to secure the victory and advance to the championship game.
Owls powered by second-half scoring
Freshman guard Amir Taylor led all scorers with 23 points, including 17 in the second half. Taylor shot 8-for-11 from the field and made three 3-pointers.
RJ Johnson added 20 points while contributing five rebounds and six assists, and Frankquon Sherman finished with 17 points, including 14 after halftime.
The victory sent Kennesaw State to the conference championship game, where the Owls later defeated Louisiana Tech to claim the Conference USA Tournament title.
Shooting struggles hurt Bearkats
Sam Houston struggled from beyond the arc, finishing 6-for-25 from 3-point range. The Bearkats entered the game ranked among the nation’s leaders in 3-point percentage but were unable to find consistent success from long distance.
Sam Houston also went 13-for-20 at the free-throw line, with several misses coming during the final minutes as the Bearkats attempted to regain the lead.
Despite those struggles, Sam Houston had opportunities late in the contest but missed multiple layups and a free throw during the final four minutes.
Season ends after resilient run
The Bearkats still finished with more than 20 wins for the second time in three seasons and posted the most victories under Mudge since he took over the program.
The season included multiple injuries that reduced the roster late in the year, including King’s absence down the stretch after he injured his back during warmups before a March 5 game at Delaware. King returned briefly during the Bearkats’ quarterfinal win over New Mexico State but was unable to finish that contest due to pain.
Even with the shortened roster, Sam Houston advanced to the conference semifinals and pushed the eventual tournament champion to the final minutes.
Kennesaw State head coach Antoine Pettway acknowledged the challenge presented by the Bearkats after the game.
“Can’t say enough about Coach Mudge and the job he’s done at Sam Houston,” Pettway said. “They’re one of the best teams in our league. He was rightfully voted Coach of the Year with the job he did all season. I respect him and that program so much, and we knew we were going to have to go through them if we wanted to play tomorrow.”
Game Summary
Kennesaw State 79, Sam Houston 73
Location: Propst Arena — Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Kennesaw State (20-13) — Taylor 23, Johnson 20, Sherman 17, Rickard 7, Simpson 6, Lue 4, Harris 2.
Sam Houston (22-11) — Coleman 18, Ilic 17, Walker 17, Natt 13, Nicholas Jr. 8, Beaumont 0, Dann 0.
Halftime — Sam Houston 37, Kennesaw State 31
3-point shooting — Sam Houston 6-25, Kennesaw State 9-22
Free throws — Sam Houston 13-20, Kennesaw State 20-27
Rebounds — Sam Houston 36, Kennesaw State 36