Preston Brown and Lance Pevehouse both scored 13 points to lead Sam Houston in an 80-65 loss to Cleveland State on Saturday night at the Wolstein Center.
The contest marked the second of four games the Bearkats will play in the Cancun Challenge. The next two games will be played Tuesday and Wednesday in Cancun, Mexico.
Norris Cole led Cleveland State with 24 points. Trevon Harmon added 16 points as CSU upped its season record to 3-1.
“We played poorly and we didn’t execute,” SHSU head coach Bob Marlin said. “We trailed at the beginning 17-2. We fought back and got it to 34-28. We got a big spark off the bench from Lance Pevehouse, Drae Murray and Preston Brown. Those guys came in and really gave us a boost.”
Sam Houston State (2-2) had another strong effort from beyond the three point arc, hitting 11-of-22 treys. Corey Allmond, who set a Rupp Arena record with 11 3-point baskets in a 102-92 loss at No. 4 Kentucky on Thursday night, only shot 2-for-8 from 3-point range as he collected 11 points. Both Pevehouse and Brown were 3-for-5.
The Bearkats outrebounded CSU 32 to 28 with Brown pulling down seven boards and Antuan Bootle grabbing six.
Cleveland State hit 53.2 percent from the field (25-of-47) and 72.4 percent from the line (21-of-29) while the Bearkats were 22-of-55 (40 percent) from the field and 10-of-15 at the line (66.7 percent).
Josten Crow scored eight points and Gilberto Clavell had seven.
Cleveland State never trailed in the contest, jumping out to an 8-0 lead and going up 43-36 at halftime.
“After the half, nether team played particularly well. We couldn’t play any worse,” Marlin added.
Sam Houston will play Oral Roberts on Tuesday in Cancun at 12:30 p.m. The Kats will face either Rider or Florida A&M; on Wednesday.
The next home game for the Bearkat men will be Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m. against Mid-America.
