HUNTSVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — The Sam Houston Bearkats used a dominant first-quarter offensive explosion to cruise past the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers 77-49 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Monday night at Johnson Coliseum.

The Bearkats seized control of the game immediately, erupting for 31 points in the opening period while holding the Lady Panthers to 15. Sam Houston’s blistering start, which included a 13-0 run, effectively decided the contest before the first quarter was over, establishing a lead that Prairie View A&M would never seriously challenge.

Sam Houston’s offense was efficient throughout, shooting 48 percent from the floor on 31-of-64 shooting. The Bearkats also connected on 6 of 15 attempts from three-point range. Their defense was equally impactful, forcing 21 Prairie View turnovers and converting them into 21 points. The Bearkats also dominated inside, outscoring the Lady Panthers 44-20 in the paint.

Prairie View A&M struggled offensively all night, shooting just 29.6 percent from the field. The Lady Panthers were hampered by poor shooting from deep, making only 3 of 16 three-point attempts, and from the free-throw line, where they converted just 14 of 24 chances.

Aysia Ward-Strong of Sam Houston delivered a key performance, recording a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds while also contributing five assists in 25 minutes of play. She was one of four Bearkats to score in double figures. Fanta Kone led all scorers with 16 points, adding four rebounds and four assists. Whitney Dunn scored 14 points, and Annika Corcoran came off the bench to provide a significant spark, matching Kone’s team-high with 16 points in just 13 minutes of action.

For Prairie View A&M, CJ Wilson led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds. Alana Shields added 10 points in the losing effort.

With the win, Sam Houston improved its season record to 3-1. The Bearkats are scheduled to host Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday. Prairie View A&M fell to 1-4 with the loss and will next play at Texas State on Nov. 30. The announced attendance was 570.