Women's basketball hosts Tigers Tuesday
1/11/2010 9:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
After 42 days without a home game, the Sam Houston State women's basketball finally returns to Johnson Coliseum Tuesday when the Bearkats play host to Texas Southern at 6:30 p.m.
The contest will mark the Kats' final non-conference game of the 2009-10 season.
The Sam Houston women have played seven consecutive road games in December and January, matching up with outstanding programs from the Southeastern, Big 12, Mountain West and Conference USA on some of their trips.
The Bearkats will be seeking to end a six-game losing streak. Sam Houston's last victory came over Jackson State on Dec. 4 in Houston at the Rice tournament. Since then, the Kats have fallen at Rice, New Orleans, TCU, Arkansas and Oklahoma State and lost in their Southland Conference opener Saturday at Stephen F. Austin.
"It's been a rough month-and-a-half, but we're extremely proud of how the team has handled the experience," Sam Houston head coach Brenda Nichols said. "They've battled every minute of every game and it's an experience that is only going to make us stronger as we get into the meat of the league schedule."
Texas Southern brings a 4-9 season record to Johnson Coliseum Tuesday. The Tigers are led by Jamie Payne, a 6-1 transfer from Pensacola Junior College who is averaging 11.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Sam Houston leads the all-time women's basketball series with Texas Southern. The Bearkats have won eight of the nine meetings between the two including a 63-58 victory last year in Houston.
Sam Houston will return to Southland Conference action on Saturday when the Kats play host to Southeastern Louisiana at 2 p.m. at Johnson Coliseum.
The Lions lost their Southland opener to Lamar 85-58 Saturday and will host Northwestern State Wednesday before traveling to Huntsville. Southeastern Louisiana stands 6-8 for the season and is led by 5-11 senior forward Quantae Thomas with10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
In Sam Houston's last outing Saturday, Whitney Smith scored 23 points to become the 10th Sam Houston women's player to score more than 1,000 career points in a 98-85 loss at Stephen F. Austin 98-85.
Four other Sam Houston players scored in double figures including Brittany Brooks with 16, Sequeena Thomas 14, Clarke Davis 10 and Chanice Smith 10. Davis also pulled down 10 rebounds to mark the second time this season that a Bearkat women's player has produced double figure points and rebounds in the same game.
Sam Houston's trio of four-year seniors is providing the leadership for the women's basketball team this year. Guards Brittany Brooks and Ray Alexander and forward Whitney Smith are combining for 36.5 points a game. Brooks and Smith both are averaging 12.3 points and Alexander adds 11.9.
Sam Houston's fourth senior is forward Therese Hager who came to Huntsville as a junior college transfer last year and provides the Kats rebounding and defensive talent inside. Sophomore Khamra Echols adds 6.6 points per game.
Also playing important roles for Sam Houston this season are 5-9 freshman Chanice Smith (8.3 points per game), 6-2 sophomore Bre Agnew (4.7), 6-0 freshman Sequeena Thomas (4.3) and 6-0 freshman Clarke Davis (3.5).
Tickets for Sam Houston State's women's basketball home games with Texas Southern and Southeastern Louisiana are on sale on-line now at www.gobearkats.com.
Fans also can purchase tickets at the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in 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.
