Women's basketball plays in Rice tournament
12/3/2009 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The host Rice Owls will pair up with Texas-Pan American at 7 p.m. in the other half of the bracket Friday. On Saturday, Friday's losers will meet in the third place game at 5 p.m. while the winners will battle in the championship final at 7 p.m.
Bearkat head coach Brenda Nichols looks forward to the tournament as a valuable experience for her young women's squad.
"The purpose of every game we play during our pre-conference schedule is to get ready for the Southland Conference schedule," Nichols said. "Getting to play in a two-day tournament situation away from home will help our girls get a better feel for what it will be like at the Southland post-season tournament in Katy in March. Making it to the tournament is our number one goal. Doing well at the conference tournament is just as important."
Sam Houston brings a 2-3 record into the Rice event. The Bearkats will match up against a Jackson State squad that stands 1-4.
Both Bearkat women's victories have come on the road. Sam Houston defeated Centenary 74-49 and Grambling State 67-59 the week before Thanksgiving. The Kats' losses have come at the hands of Texas Tech, Mississippi and Oral Roberts.
Jackson State opened its season with a 74-63 home win over Tennessee State and since have dropped games to Alabama, Central Arkansas, Southern Mississippi and A&M-Corpus Christi on the road.
Both Rice and Texas-Pan American come into the tournament 0-6. The Owls lost to UMass 71-57 in their last game
Sam Houston's three fourth-year seniors are filling their expected leadership roles this season.
Guard Brittany Brooks leads the Bearkats with 14.0 points and forward Whitney Smith is averaging 12.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. Point guard Ray Alexander is contributing 9.4 points and leads the team with 4.4 assists per outing.
Sophomore Khamra Echols has become a reliable scorer as well, averaging 9.8 points.
Freshman Terrah Austin has been starting at center and is averaging 4.8 points and 6.0 boards per game.
The two-games at the Rice Tournament this weekend mark the first pair of contests in a seven-game series of road trips for the Bearkat women.
Sam Houston's next home women's basketball game at Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville will be Tuesday, January 12 against Texas Southern.
For ticket information for all Bearkat athletics, go on-line to www.gobearkats.com or contact the Sam Houston Athletic Ticket Office located in the Ron Mafrige Fieldhouse 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.
