PINE BLUFF, Ark. (Interstat) — The Sam Houston Bearkats used a dominant defensive performance and a combined 37 points from Fanta Kone and Nyla Inmon to cruise past the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Golden Lions 78-44 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at the HPER Complex.

From the opening tip, which was won by Inmon, Sam Houston established control. The Bearkats opened the game on a 14-0 run, a stretch that included four layups and was fueled by relentless defensive pressure. Whitney Dunn scored the game’s first points on a layup just 11 seconds in, setting the tone for a night where the Bearkats would live in the paint.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff did not get on the board until a Jailah Pelly layup with just over nine minutes remaining in the first quarter, but they could never recover from the early onslaught. Sam Houston led 21-10 after the first period and extended its advantage to 37-16 by halftime, holding the Lady Golden Lions to just six points in the second quarter.

The Bearkats’ defense was the story of the game, forcing Arkansas-Pine Bluff into 31 turnovers, which they converted into 32 points. Sam Houston recorded 20 steals as a team, with Kone and Deborah Ogayemi repeatedly disrupting the Lady Golden Lions’ offensive sets. By contrast, Sam Houston committed 17 turnovers.

Offensively, the Bearkats were efficient inside, scoring 42 of their points in the paint. While they shot just 43.3 percent from the field (29 of 67), their volume of opportunities, created by their defense, proved overwhelming. They also dished out 20 assists on their 29 made baskets.

Kone, a guard from Bamako, Mali, led all scorers with 17 points in 35 minutes of action, adding six assists and three rebounds. Inmon, a 6-foot forward from Tyler, Texas, was a force on both ends, contributing 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. Dunn, from Chicago, added 12 points, while Aysia Ward-Strong and Ogayemi each chipped in eight points. Ogayemi, from Waterford, Ireland, also pulled down six rebounds.

For Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Pelly was a bright spot, recording a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Khaniah Gardner added eight points and six rebounds, and Jayla Cornelius scored seven points. The Lady Golden Lions struggled mightily from beyond the arc, making just one of their seven three-point attempts.

Sam Houston maintained its comfortable lead throughout the second half, outscoring Pine Bluff 17-14 in the third quarter and 24-14 in the fourth to seal the 34-point victory.

The win improves Sam Houston’s early season record to 2-1. The Bearkats opened the season with a 58-39 win over Southwestern Christian before falling 88-46 at TCU in their previous outing. Arkansas-Pine Bluff falls to 1-2, having lost to Arkansas 101-49 after a season-opening win at Memphis.

Sam Houston returns to action Monday at home against Prairie View. Arkansas-Pine Bluff will host Louisiana-Monroe on Sunday.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 325. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Sam Houston was projected with a 79.70 percent probability to win.