Box Score HUNTSVILLE – McNeese scored just eight points in a 10-minute span after a 38-38 tie game in the second half and Sam Houston State took advantage of the offensive drought to post a 69-60 win over the Cowboys in Southland Conference play here Saturday.
 
The loss was the fourth straight suffered by McNeese (6-9, 0-4 SLC) while Sam Houston State won its eighth straight game and improved to 13-4 overall and 5-0 in league play.
 
Leading 30-29 at the half and tied 38-38 with 14:47 to play in the second half, McNeese missed 8 of its next 11 shots during the next 10 minutes as the Bearkats built a 57-46 lead with 3:40 to play behind a 19-8 run.
 
"That was the turning point of the game," said head coach Dave Simmons. "We had several chances to make some shots and just couldn't get them to fall."
 
McNeese also struggled from the free throw line once again after missing 6 of 13 for the night.
 
Kevin Hardy led McNeese with 18 points and nine rebounds and Desharick Guidry added 16 points and nine boards. Jamaya Burr added 10 points as the Cowboys hit 23 of 57 from the field for 40 percent and was 7 of 20 from 3-point range for 35 percent.
 
"I thought we got better tonight," said Simmons. "But we need to get that first win. I thought we did a good job of defending we just need to cut out the turnovers and make our easy looks. We also have to do a better job of rebounding."
 
SHSU held a 40-33 rebounding advantage and had 13 offensive boards that led to 15 second chance points.
 
The Bearkats scored 30 points off of second chance opportunities and off turnovers.
 
Jabari Peters led four Bearkats in double-figures with 21 points. Michael Holyfield added 14 points and 11 boards while DeMarcus Gatlin scored 12 and Marquel McKinney had 11.
 
SHSU hit 37.7 percent from the field (20 of 53) and was 6 of 24 from long range (25 percent). SHSU sank 23 of 27 from the free throw line for 85 percent.
 
McNeese led 3-2 after a Guidry three-pointer two minutes into the game and trailed by as much as eight points at 13-5 with 12:26 to go in the half. A 12-3 run behind a couple of treys by Shaun Johnson and Hardy led the a 1-point advantage with 5:45 to play and the teams tied three times and swapped the lead three more times the rest of the way, ending with Burr hitting 1 of 3 free throws with one second to play to give the Cowboys a 30-29 lead at the half.
 
The Cowboys will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Abilene Christian at 7 in Burton Coliseum.