by Cheval John

The Sam Houston State Bearkat basketball team extended their win streak to three games with an 89-53 beat down over Huston-Tillotson Rams.

SHSU (6-5) shot 50.7% from the field and went 40% from the three point line.

Most of the three point shooting came from junior transfer guard Jeremy McKay.

McKay made four of seven treys and finished with 16 points, four rebounds and an assist.

Both teams played tight early in the first half as they were five lead changes.

Though the Rams (2-11) led 10-7, the Bearkats went on a 10-0 run to retake the lead at 17-10 behind junior guard Aaron Harwell’s three maded shots and junior transfer forward James Thomas’ back-to-back buckets.

The Rams pulled twice with a score to tie the match, but the Bearkats hang on to the lead at 38-30 by halftime.

“I wasn’t happy with our first half,” head coach Jason Hooten said.

“I thought we didn’t came out with energy.”

That energy came in the second half as the Bearkats opened on a 13-2 run that included McKay three straight treys to widened the gap at 50-33.

They didn’t looked back as they cruised to an 89-53 win.

Marquel McKinney totaled 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and four steals.

Terrance Motley and Darius Gatson each had 11 points.

The Bearkats will take a long week off before they face their final non-conference opponent Howard Payne on December 29.