KATY, Texas (AP) - Paul Baxter scored 13 points, and sixth-seeded Sam Houston State rallied in the second half to knock off third-seeded Oral Roberts 58-55 on Thursday night and advance to the Southland Conference tournament semifinals.
Terrance Motley added 12 points for the Bearkats (17-16), who allowed only 19 second-half points. Sam Houston State will face No. 2 seed Northwestern State on Friday with a spot in the final on the line.
Warren Niles had 19 points for the Golden Eagles (18-14), and Korey Billbury chipped in 12.
Oral Roberts shot 60 percent from the floor in the first half en route to a 36-29 halftime lead, but SHSU pulled ahead in the second half behind hot 3-point shooting. The Bearkats led 57-51 with under a minute to play.
SHSU nearly coughed up that lead, but a key Oral Roberts turnover with 9 seconds left helped the Bearkats secure the victory.
| Scoreboard | |||
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
| Sam Houston State (17-16) « | 29 | 29 | 58 |
| Oral Roberts (18-14) | 36 | 19 | 55 |
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| Sam Houston State Bearkats | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| J. Thomas, F | 33 | 3-9 | 2-2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| M. Holyfield, C | 15 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| P. Baxter, G | 27 | 5-11 | 1-2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| D. Gatson, G | 25 | 3-6 | 1-2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| M. McKinney, G | 23 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| W. Bond | 26 | 3-4 | 0-1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| A. Harwell | 15 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| T. Motley | 14 | 6-8 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| J. McKay | 13 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| N. Mason | 9 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 23-46 | 5-9 | 31 | 14 | 20 | 58 | |
| 50% | 55.6% | ||||||
| Oral Roberts Golden Eagles | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| S. Glover, F | 33 | 1-7 | 3-4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| D. Bell-Holter, F | 30 | 3-5 | 3-4 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| S. Roundtree, F | 25 | 2-4 | 1-2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| K. Billbury, G | 38 | 5-11 | 1-1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| W. Niles, G | 37 | 4-11 | 11-14 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 19 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| D. Jackson | 31 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| M. Manghum | 5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B. Conley | 1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 17-43 | 19-25 | 25 | 5 | 14 | 55 | |
| 39.5% | 76% | ||||||
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