HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Sam Houston's Jaden Ray hit a pair of free throws with 11 seconds remaining, and a heave by ULM's
Savion Gallion fell short at the buzzer as the Bearkats picked up a 63-62 win over the Warhawks Tuesday night at Johnson Coliseum.
The tightly contested, physical game featured 19 lead changes and 13 ties. Unfortunately for ULM (4-5 overall), the Warhawks needed a 20th lead change to pick up the win.
Sam Houston (6-5) never led by more than three points, while ULM used a 10-0 run early in the second half to build a nine-point lead, only to see Sam Houston's 7-0 run wipe it out moments later.
Jalen Bolden paced ULM with his second double-double of the season, leading the team with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Gallion and
Tyreese Watson added 10 points apiece, with Watson scoring nine of his 10 points after halftime. Ray matched his career high with 16 points, including an 8-of-10 mark from the free-throw line, to lead Sam Houston, while Davon Barnes chipped in 10 points for the Bearkats.
The Warhawks never led by more than four points in the first half. ULM built a 10-6 lead on back-to-back buckets from
Nika Metskhvarishvili and Bolden with 12:43 left before halftime. Sam Houston answered back with the next five points, pulling ahead 11-10 on two free throws by Owen McGlashan with 10 minutes to go until the break.
After ULM regained a 13-11 lead on a free throw by Watson and a layup by
Jacob Wilson, the Bearkats used a layup by Damon Nicholas and a 3-pointer by Cameron Huefner to post a 16-13 lead. The Warhawks regained a 17-16 edge on a layup by Gallion. Sam Houston went back ahead, 21-20 on a free throw by Marcus Boykin, but
Jerry Ngopot's layup seconds after Boykin missed a free throw put ULM back on top, 22-21. The Bearkats raced up the floor and McGlashan hit a trey from the top of the key to put Sam Houston on top 24-22 at halftime.
After going 0-of-6 from 3-point range in the first half, ULM hit four triples on the first four possessions of the second half.
Jalen Bolden sank a 3-pointer from the corner for the 25-24 lead. After Lamar Wilkerson's layup put Sam Houston back up 26-25, ULM went on a 10-0 run. Metskhvarishvili drained a trey out high, and
Tyreke Locure followed on the next possession with a 4-point play. On the ensuing possession, Gallion knocked down a transition 3-pointer for a 35-26 lead, prompting a Sam Houston timeout with 17:36 remaining.
The Warhawks led 37-30 after a jumper by Metskhvarishvili. Sam Houston responded with a 7-0 run, tying the game at 37 on a layup by Souleymane Doumbia with 14 minutes left. Locure's 3-pointer on the next possession put ULM right back on top, 40-37.
Sam Houston regained the lead, 43-42, on a free throw by Kian Scroggins with 10:56 left. The lead switched twice more in the span, with Sam Houston moving ahead 47-44 on two free throws each from Marcus Boykin and Huefner after a technical foul.
ULM bounced right back. Bolden collected an offensive rebound and scored to get back within one, 47-46. After a missed 3-pointer, the Warhawks took the rebound for a fastbreak layup by Watson at the other end to go back up, 48-47. Watson added a jumper and Bolden collected his second 3-pointer of the night to extend the lead back to six, 53-47, with 5:39 to play.
The Warhawks held off a couple Sam Houston surges until Ray made an impact at the line late. His two free throws with 1:22 left put the Bearkats back up, 59-58, with 1:22 left.
AD Diedhiou followed with a hook shot in the lane at the other end for the 60-59 lead. Ray drew another foul and hit two more free throws to regain the lead for Sam Houston, 61-60, with 40 seconds left. ULM responded again as
Jacob Wilson hit a reverse layup with 15 seconds left for the 62-61 advantage. However, a foul near midcourt sent Ray to the line for two more free throws, which he hit, for the 63-62 lead with 11 seconds left.
ULM turned the ball over on the next possession, and a foul on the inbounds play sent Ray to the line once more. However, Ray missed both free throws, giving ULM a chance with 4.5 seconds left. Out of a timeout, the inbounds pass came to Gallion, who raced up the right side of the floor, took a bump as he let a heave fly from 30 feet out, and the shot fell short as Sam Houston held on for the 63-62 win.
ULM shot 42% (23-of-55) from the field and 33% (6-of-18) from the 3-point line. Sam Houston shot 37% (19-of-51) from the floor and 24% (5-of-21) from beyond the arc. The free-throw line was a difference maker, as ULM hit 10-of-12 attempts, while Sam Houston shot 20-of-33 (61%). The Warhawks outrebounded Sam Houston, 40-33, with each side picking up eight offensive rebounds.
The Warhawks play the second game of a four-game road swing at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lamar.
