FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sam Houston shot 52.4 percent (33-of-63) from the field, including 54.5 percent (12-of-22) from three-point range, as the Bearkats topped the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team, 88-54, on Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 22) at the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
Zarique Nutter (Newark, N.J./Clarendon College) scored a team-high 11 points while David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC) added 10 and Zion Russell (Upper Marlboro, Md./National Christian Academy) chipped in a career- high 10 points.
An early 9-0 run gave Sam Houston (5-0) a 12-4 lead six minutes into the first half. After a pair of free throws from Russell, the Bearkats knocked in two triples to extend their advantage to 18-6 with 12 minutes left before the intermission.
Back-to-back baskets from Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Tulsa) and Nutter helped the Huskies trim the Sam Houston advantage back to single-digits, 19-10, just past the midway point of the half.
Williams finished with nine points in the contest.
The Bearkats used a 10-0 run to take a 34-12 lead before a basket from Russell ended the run. NIU (1-4) scored six of the final eight points of the half as Sam Houston took a 41-22 lead into the intermission.
Nutter and Russell each had a half-dozen to pace the Huskies in the opening 20 minutes, Qua Grant and Donte Powers both had 10 for Sam Houston. The Bearkats shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field in the first half, including 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from three-point range. Sam Houston forced 15 first half NIU turnovers, converting them into 20 points.
In the second half, the Huskies shot 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from the field but were unable to slow down the Bearkats, who shot 54.5 percent (18-of-33) in the second 20 minutes.
Taku Youngblood (Yokohama, Japan/St. Thomas More) tied his career-high with seven points, all seven of which came in the second half. Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Middle Tennessee) grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
Grant led all scorers with 19 points for Sam Houston, Lamar Wilkerson added 15 and Powers finished with 13 points. The Bearkats finished the contest with 34 points off 22 Huskie turnovers.
NIU will conclude the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off in the third-place game on Wednesday (Nov. 23) at 10 a.m. CT.
