Britni Martin added 16 points and 10 assists and Angela Beadle also scored in double figures for the Bearkats with 13 points. Jovana Miles led the Crusaders with 12 points.
The game was the fourth annual "Pack the House" contest for Sam Houston State women's basketball as more than 3,000 elementary and middle school students from the Walker County area attended.
With a couple of early three-point baskets, Mary Hardin-Baylor (0-1) jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead. The Bearkats bounced back to tie the school 10-10. As the Crusaders cooled from long range, finishing the contest 4-of-22 from beyond the arc, Sam Houston took control.
After Macy Moore gave MHB its last tie 21-21 with a layup at the 7:17 mark in the first half, the Kats finished the period with a 14-2 run to take 35-23 lead into the locker room at intermission.
Sam Houston (2-0) outscored the Crusaders 52-30 in the second half.
The Bearkats hit 34-of-64 from the floor for 53.1 percent shooting. Jasmin Wiley scored nine points and Kaysean Clavelle scored eight. Beadle added nine rebounds and Jasmine Johnson totaled 10 assists.
Sam Houston's defense limited MH B to just 38.3 percent shooting from the field as the Crusaders went 23-of-60. The Bearkats won the battle of the boards with 40 rebounds to MHB's 29.
Sam Houston State travels to Vanderbilt for a Tuesday night contest in the Bearkat women's next action.
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