Bearkats lead NCAA Division I in assists
1/4/2010 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sam Houston State leads NCAA Division I men's basketball in assists in the national statistics released Monday.
The Bearkats are averaging 21.1 assists per game. Syracuse ranks second in the Division I assist standings with 21.1, followed by Kansas 19.8, North Carolina 19.6 and Michigan State 19.4.
Three Bearkats rank among the top 10 in assists in the Southland Conference with point guard Ashton Mitchell averaging 4.6 assists, backup Drae Murray 4.4 and junior forward Josten Crow 3.7.
Sam Houston stands in the top 10 in two other team categories. The Bearkats are No. 4 nationally in assist/turnover ratio with a 1.58 tally and are No. 9 in three point field goals per game with 9.5. The Kats rank No. 30 in three point percentage (.401), No. 32 in turnover margin (+3.8) and No. 37 in scoring offense (79.5 points per game).
Senior guard Corey Allmond stands No. 6 in the nation in three point field goals per game with 3.5. Allmond set a Rupp Arena, Southland and Sam Houston school record with 11 three point baskets in a 10-point loss at No. 4 Kentucky in November.
Crow stands No. 9 nationally in assist/turnover ratio with an average of 3.2.
Sam Houston has a men's basketball tradition of unselfish play, ranking among the top 25 in NCAA Division I men's basketball in assists seven times in Bob Marlin's 12 years as Bearkat head coach. The Kats ranked No. 5 nationally last year with an 18.2 team average.
The Bearkats' national statistics success this season is one more indicator of the emergence of the Southland Conference on a national level. Last week, the Southland went 3-1 last week against teams from Conference USA. UTSA beat Houston, 83-82, on New Year's Day and then on Saturday, Lamar beat Tulane, 70-67, and Texas State beat SMU, 91-86. Rice was the only Conference USA team beat a Southland team last week, beating McNeese State, 75-62, Dec. 29. The Southland has five wins against C-USA this season.
Sam Houston produced its first victory ever over a Southeastern Conference opponent, defeating Auburn on Dec. 20.
Two Southland teams - UTSA and Stephen F. Austin -- already have reached the 10-win mark this season.
Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin meet Saturday at 2 p.m. in a game that will be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network.
The Bearkats are offering area fans an incredible bargain Saturday with the new "Family Pack" Saturday afternoon games at Johnson Coliseum. The "Saturday Afternoon Family Pack" is a new Bearkat men's basketball tradition and represents almost a 50 percent savings over the normal $52 cost of four tickets, four hot dogs, four popcorns and four sodas.
A minimum of four tickets must be purchased. Additional tickets may be purchased at $7 each.
Fans can purchase a "Family Pack" in advance online at www.gobearkats.com or at Johnson Coliseum the day of the game.
The Bearkat athletic ticket office is located in the Ron Mafrige Field House in the south end zone of 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.
