HAMMOND, La. – Sam Houston State outscored Southeastern Louisiana, 19-12, in the final quarter to secure a 68-61 victory over the Lady Lions in Southland Conference women's basketball action Saturday evening in Johnson Coliseum.
 
SLU (4-16, 2-7 Southland) made just 31 percent (22-for-71) of its field goal attempts in the loss. Sam Houston State (1-17, 1-7 Southland) was able to snap a 17-game losing streak with its first win of the 2016-17 season.
 
Junior guard Taylin Underwood led Southeastern with 20 points in the loss. Underwood was one of four Lady Lions in double figures, along with sophomore guard Ashailee Brailey (15 points), freshman guard Tyler Morrison (11 points) and senior forward Chey Stewart (10 points). Morrison also led SLU with six assists.
 
For the first time since a 75-63 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 25, Southeastern out-rebounded an opponent, finishing with a 45-38 advantage on the glass. Morrison grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to post her first career double-double, while Stewart contributed a career-high nine boards.
 
Sam Houston State was led by Jenniffer Oramas who finished with 20 points and four steals. Three Bearkat reserves – Ashleigh Cooper (13 points, seven rebounds), Angela Delaney (10 points) and Lydia Baxter (10 points, eight rebounds) – helped SHSU finish with a 33-0 advantage in bench scoring.
 
The Bearkats took a 17-10 lead after the opening quarter. Southeastern would use an 8-2 second quarter run to take a 26-25 lead on a Morrison free throw with 3:10 left in the half.
 
The two teams would flip the lead five times in the next minutes with the Lady Lions taking their final advantage on a Brailey jumper with 2:06 left in the quarter. However, Morghen Day and Delaney hit consecutive three-point field goals in the final 24 seconds of the period to go into halftime with a 35-30 lead.
 
Brailey scored 10 of Southeastern's 19 points in the third quarter, as the Lady Lions headed into the final quarter deadlocked with the Bearkats, 49-49.
 
A three by Day and a Cooper bucket allowed SHSU to build a lead that it would never relinquish early in the fourth quarter. A layup by Morrison cut the SHSU lead to 57-56 with 2:33 remaining.
 
However, on the ensuing possession, Oramas drilled an open three to push the lead back to four and Southeastern would get no closer than three the rest of the way, as the Bearkats closed the game on an 11-5 run.
 
Southeastern will return home to host Nicholls on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the University Center. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app. LionVision subscribers will be able to access a live video stream at www.LionSports.net/watch.
 
Junior forward Tytiana Hall will be Wednesday's Spotlight Player of the Game. The first 150 fans will receive a trading card featuring the Crystal Springs, Mississippi native courtesy of PRIDE.
 
Wednesday will also be a Gold Out at the UC, as all fans are encouraged to wear their gold Southeastern gear. If Southeastern scores 50 points or more versus Nicholls, it will meet the Cane's Challenge and fans will be able to take their game ticket or student coupon to any local participating Raising Cane's to receive a free combo with the purchase of another of equal or greater value.