Bearkats face Mavericks in Arlington Saturday
1/22/2010 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sam Houston State takes a three-game Southland winning streak into Texas Hall Saturday night to renew its rivalry with UT-Arlington. The Bearkats and the Mavs tip at 7 p.m.
The game will be broadcast live in Huntsville on KSAM 101.7 FM and on the internet at www.gobearkats.com .
The Bearkats have posted league victories over Stephen F. Austin, Southeastern Louisiana and Texas Sate.
"We're taking good care of the ball and our defense is improving," Sam Houston head coach Bob Marlin said. "Our defense is a big reason we've gotten off to a good start in league play."
The Kats will be going up against the league's top scoring player in preseason All-Southland selection 6-3 Marquez Hayes. The forward is averaging 24.4 points per game. UTA's 6-1 Brandon Long adds 13.8 per contest.
UT-Arlington brings an 8-8 season record and a 1-3 Southland mark into the contest.
The Bearkats lead the all-time series with the Mavericks 30 victories to 19. UT-Arlington has won two of the last three times the pair have met. The Mavs took a 95-85 victory in Arlington last year and upset the Kats 72-66 in the semifinals of the Southland tournament in 2008. Sandwiched in between was a 78-74 Bearkat victory in the pair's first meeting last season.
Sam Houston is led by the highest scoring backcourt duo in the program's 22 years at the NCAA Division I level. Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell have combined for 28.3 points per game this season. The duo paired for 27.8 points last year.
Allmond, a 6-1 senior from Oxon Hill, MD, is averaging 16.1 points. He leads the Southland in three point field goals per game (3.2). Mitchell, a 5-11 three-year letterman from New Orleans, is averaging 12.2 points and 4.3 assists this season. Both Allmond and Mitchell have earned Southland Conference "Player of the Week" honors this year.
Gilberto Clavell, a 6-7 junior college transfer from Collin County, has stepped in as a starter this season. The Mayaquez, Puerto Rico product has made an immediate impact, averaging 15.9 points and leading the Kats in rebounding with a 6.3.
He has scored in double figures in 12 games including 34 points in the win at Auburn. He has twice been named as Southland "Player of the Week."
"Corey, Ashton and Gilberto has been consistent," Marlin said. "We need those three to play well every night. They've risen to the occassion so far."
Preston Brown, 6-6 senior forward from Stringtown, OK, is the team's fourth leading scorer this season with a 9.3 average.
Josten Crow, a 6-4 junior from Houston, has stepped into a starting role this season after coming off the bench his first two years. Crow ranks second in the team in rebounds (5.6) and is adding 7.3 points per contest. He is one of the squad's top defenders and leads the Southland in assist/turnover ratio.
Lance Pevehouse, 6-2 junior from League City, TX, has been the sixth man for the Bearkats the past two years. He is scoring 5.8 this year. Huntsville product Drae Murray is in his second season as the Bearkats' backup point guard. Returning lettermen 6-7 Antuan Bootle bring the Kats additional depth at the post position.
When the Bearkats have played solid defense this season, success has followed. In Sam Houston's 11 victories, the Kats have held opponents to 61.5 points and a field goal percentage of .387. In the Bearkats' five losses, opponents have averaged 87.8 points and shot .572.
Sam Houston's non-conference victories this year include wins over Auburn, Oral Roberts, Rider and Florida International. The victory over Auburn was the Kats' first ever over a Southeastern Conference opponent. The wins over ORU and Rider earned Sam Houston the Mayan Division championship at the Cancun Challenge in Mexico during Thanksgiving week.
The Bearkat men will return home to play host to the Lamar Cardinals Wednesday Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. at Johnson Coliseum.
Tickets for men's basketball home games are on sale now on-line at www.gobearkats.com . Fans also may 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. Ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
