HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Senior T.J. Atwood scored a game-high 20 points – despite fouling out with just over four minutes remaining – to lead Lamar University to a 77-65 victory over Sam Houston State Wednesday evening at the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. It marks the Cardinals' (14-13/8-8 Southland) first road victory in the series since the 2011-12 season.
 
Atwood was one of four players to finish the day in double figures for a team that shot 29-of-58 (.475) from the field, including seven three-pointers – five of which came in the second half. The Cardinals also outrebounded their hosts, 36-31, which led to an advantage in second chance points. The Cardinals outscored Sam Houston, 34-22, in the paint.
 
Junior Avery Sullivan continued his strong play with an 18-point, six-rebound effort. Classmate Davion Buster scored 14 points, 12 of which came in the final 20 minutes. Freshman Anderson Kopp chipped in 12.
 
The Bearkats were led by 17 points from Kai Mitchell, who also fouled out of the game. He was one of just two Sam Houston players to score in double figures.
 
Sam Houston State jumped out to an early three-point lead and the Cardinals didn't take their first lead until an Atwood layup with 15:43 remaining in the half. Neither team got off to a great start offensively, but the Red and White started to heat up first.
 
For the majority of the half, neither team grabbed a lead larger than five points until the Cardinals rattled off a run to take a double-digit advantage. Leading by one, the Cardinals got a three-pointer from Kopp followed by a layup from Muoka and Atwood to cap a 16-7 run.
 
The momentum didn't last as Sam Houston closed the half on an 11-2 run, including a Kai Mitchell three-pointer at the buzzer to pull the Bearkats within one, 36-35, heading into the locker room.
 
LU shot 15-of-31 (.484) from the field in the first half but struggled from long range converting just 2-of-9 (.222) attempts. The Cardinals also outrebounded SHSU by three, 18-15, and held a 24-8 advantage in paint points in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Sullivan and Muoka were a combined 7-of-8 (.875) from the field in the first half combining for 15 points.
 
The Bearkats were 14-of-33 (.424) from the field in the first half but kept pace with LU by knocking down 4 (.500) first-half three-pointers.
 
Big Red started second half with Buster three-ball, his first of the game and opened the half on a 7-0 run, but SHSU cut the deficit back to three. LU responded with another 7-0 run capped by an Atwood layup in traffic following up his own miss. The Cardinals pushed their advantage to 11 following another Buster three-ball coming out of timeout.
 
After scoring a couple baskets, including a three-pointer, following a couple LU turnovers Sam Houston State pulled back within in six but the Cardinals put a stop to the run. The Cards got a three-pointer from Buster and two baskets from Atwood – including an and-one – to push their lead to 13, 65-52.
 
Minutes later, after working the shot clock down to six seconds, Sullivan drew a double team and found senior V.J. Holmes cutting to the basket who scored the bucket and drew the foul. Holmes converted the three-point play to give LU a 12-point lead with 1:27 remaining. The Cardinals flipped the script from the original meeting hitting their free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The game against the Islanders will tip off at 4:30 p.m. from the Montagne Center. The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.