Men's basketball faces ORU at Cancun Tuesday
11/23/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Cancun Challenge features eight men's NCAA Division I college basketball teams and includes eight games played in the U.S., and eight games played at the all-inclusive Moon Palace resort.
"This trip is an excellent opportunity for the team to become closer as a squad," Sam Houston head coach Bob Marlin said. "This is a beautiful complex and the players are excited to be here."
The facility the Bearkats will play in Tuesday and Wednesday is unique.
"It's actually a huge ballroom converted into a basketball court," Marlin said. "It's a little strange to see chandeliers on the ceiling but it's going to be a good experience."
The four teams which hosted U.S. games are in one four-team bracket while the four squads that all played road games for their stateside contests are in another.
Sam Houston came close to pulling off an upset. The Bearkats fell to No. 4 Kentucky 102-92 in Lexington Thursday night. Sam Houston was only eight points down with six minutes to play thanks to a record-setting performance by Bearkat senior guard Corey Allmond who totaled 11 three point baskets and scored 27 points.
The Bearkats lost 80-65 at Cleveland State on Saturday.
Oral Roberts, the Kats' foe Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. Huntsville team, defeated Stanford 83-81 on Wednesday but lost to Virginia 76-55 after traveling cross country to play Saturday.
On the other side of Sam Houston's Cancun bracket Tuesday, Rider faces off with Florida A&M. Rider lost 79-46 at Virginia on Thursday and 92-63 at Kentucky Saturday. Florida A&M fell 78-64 at Cleveland State and 99-69 at Stanford on Saturday.
Sam Houston State enters Tuesday's contest with three players scoring in double figures. Allmond has scored 76 points in the Kats' four contests for a 19.0 scoring mean. Allmond is 18-of-39 from three point range for a .462 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
Junior post player Gilberto Clavell is adding 12.8 points per contest and senior forward Preston Brown is scoring 10.3 points per game.
Wednesday, the winners of Wednesday's contests will play at 3 p.m. while the losers will meet at 12:30 p.m.
The first 500 SHSU students to attend any combination of three home men's or women's basketball games will win a Bearkat basketball t-shirt courtesy of Student Activities and Bearkat Athletics.
Attendees will be tracked via the BearkatOneCard. For the purposes of the promotion, the men's and women's basketball doubleheader on Monday, November 30, will count as one event only.
Sam Students receive free admission to Bearkat home games on presentation of their BearkatOneCard.
Huntsville area fans can purchase tickets on-line now at www.gobearkats.com or by contacting the Sam Houston State athletic ticket office at the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
Cancun Classic Scores and Schedule:
Nov. 18
Oral Roberts 83, at Stanford 81
Nov. 19
at Kentucky 102, SHSU 92
at Virginia 79, Rider 46
at Cleveland State 78, Florida A&M 64
Nov. 21
at Stanford 99, Florida A&M 69
at Cleveland State 80, SHSU 65
at Kentucky 92, Rider 63
at Virginia 76, Oral Roberts 55
Nov. 24
Florida A&M vs Rider, 10 a.m.
Oral Roberts vs. Sam Houston State, 12:30 p.m.
Kentucky vs. Cleveland State, 3:30 p.m.
Virginia vs. Stanford, 6:00 p.m.
Nov. 25
Florida A&M-Rider loser vs.Oral Roberts-Sam Houston State loser, 12:30 p.m.
Florida A&M-Rider winner vs. Oral Roberts-Sam Houston State winner, 3:00 p.m.
Kentucky-Cleveland St. loser vs. Virginia-Stanford loser, 6:00 p.m.
Kentucky-Cleveland St. winner vs. Virginia-Stanford winner, 8:30 p.m.
