The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks didn't have much trouble with the Sam Houston State Bearkats in the Southland Conference tournament final. The Lumberjacks rolled over the Bearkats, 83-70, punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
Stephen F. Austin wins 2015 Southland Conference basketball tournament: Lumberjacks take care of Bearkats, 83-70
Stephen F. Austin won a game in the NCAA Tournament last year and will return for another try.
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The first half was mostly back-and-forth action, with neither team owning a commanding lead. That was until the final five minutes, when Stephen F. Austin ripped off a 13-2 run to take control of the game. The Lumberjacks went into halftime with a 37-27 lead.
Sam Houston State didn’t make much of a comeback in the second half and the Lumberjacks continued to hold a double-digit lead throughout the period. The Bearkats were held to 36.1 percent shooting from the field and made just 3-of-20 three-point shots. Stephen F. Austin shot 48.1 percent from the floor and made 8-of-23 from beyond the arc.
Thomas Walkup led the way with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting for the Lumberjacks, adding eight rebounds and five assists. Jared Johnson came off the bench to score 17 points and Dallas Cameron chipped in 14. Michael Holyfield was one of the few Bearkats who could find the basket, scoring 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds to complete the double-double. He also blocked four shots.
Stephen F. Austin stormed through the Southland Conference with a 17-1 regular-season record, winning its second straight tournament title. The Lumberjacks earned a No. 12 seed last year and managed to beat No. 5 VCU in their opening game before falling to No. 4 UCLA. They can probably expect the same seeding this season and will be popular upset picks once again.
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