Red hot Bearkats host FIU Tuesday
12/21/2009 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sam Houston rolls into Johnson Coliseum Tuesday with a two-game winning streak that includes the Bearkats' first victory over a team from the Southeastern Conference. The Kats knocked off Auburn Sunday 107-89.
Tuesday at 7 p.m. the Bearkats play host to the Florida International at Johnson Coliseum. The Golden Panthers also are coming off a victory, defeating North Texas 80-70 in overtime in a Sun Belt Conference game in Denton Sunday afternoon.
This marks the second meeting between Sam Houston and FIU on the basketball court. The Golden Panthers defeated the Kats in their first meeting in Florida in 2004.
FIU brings a 4-10 record into Tuesday's contest. The Golden Panthers ended a three-game losing streak with the win in Denton. Three of the Panthers' losses have come at the hands of North Carolina (on ESPN in Thomas's first game as head coach), Tulsa and Florida State.
Top scorer for FIU is 6-5 junior forward Marvin Roberts who is averaging 14.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Roberts scored 18 points in Sunday's victory over the Mean Green.
"Hopefully we can have some carryover from the Auburn game," SHSU head coach Bob Marlin said. "We carried out the game plan defensively. We outrebounded them and made more shots."
Gilberto Clavell scored a career-high 34 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Sam Houston State's 107-89 win over the Tigers on Sunday. Corey Allmond also scored 25 points, hitting 6 of 13 treys.
The Bearkats (7-3), who have won two in a row and five of their last six, look to keep their focus against the Golden Panthers and their head coach Isiah Thomas.
This isn't the first time that a famous coach has brought his team to Johnson Coliseum. Two seasons ago, former Indiana and Texas Tech head coach Bob Knight visited Huntsville with the Red Raiders, but SHSU held strong at home, winning 56-54.
Now Thomas, Knight's star guard at Indiana where he led the Hoosiers to the 1981 national championship and helped the Detroit Pistons win back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990, comes to Johnson Coliseum looking for FIU's second consecutive win.
"They defend well and rebound the basketball," Marlin said. "They do a good job consistently. That'll certainly help you every night."
Along with Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and John Stockton, Thomas became the fourth player in NBA history to amass more than 9,000 assists. His 13.9 assists per game in 1984-85 set an NBA record for the highest single-season average ever, until Stockton beat that mark in 1989-90.
Tuesday's game is the third and final December non-conference game for the Kats. Sam Houston split in its first two December home contests, falling to Louisiana-Lafayette Dec. 5 then racing past Ecclesia 69-40 on Dec. 12. The Bearkats stand 7-3 for the 2009-10 season.
Sam Houston students can win a free Bearkat basketball t-shirt just by attending all three Sam Houston basketball home games in December. Attendees will be tracked via the BearkatOneCard.
All Sam Houston State students are admitted free to Bearkat games at Johnson Coliseum on presentation of their BearkatOneCard. The student gate at Johnson Coliseum is Gate 27.
Purchase tickets to see FIU and their head coach Isiah Thomas now on www.gobearkats.com or contact the Sam Houston State athletic ticket office. The ticket office is located in the Ron Mafrige Field Events Center at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
For more information about home sports events at Sam Houston State, go on-line to www.gobearkats.com.
Thomas, named as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History" during the National Basketball Association's 50th anniversary, became the Detroit franchise's all-time leader in points, assists, steals and games played. He made the All-Star Team 12 times and was named NBA Finals MVP in 1990.
