Men's basketball tabbed second in Southland preseason poll
11/3/2010 11:40:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The predictions were made by the annual vote of the league's head coaches.
Defending Southland Conference regular season and tournament champion Sam Houston State is predicted to finish second in the West Division
Stephen F. Austin, winners of two of the last three regular-season titles, received eight first-place votes and 62 points in the coaches' poll. The Lumberjacks lost to Sam Houston in the finals of the 2010 Southland tournament in Katy, Texas.
In the East Division, the coaches gave the Colonels five first-place votes and 53 points.
Rounding out the East Division, the coaches predicted the order of finish as Southeastern Louisiana second,. Northwestern State third, followed by Lamar, McNeese State and Central Arkansas, which is now eligible for postseason play.
The Bearkats received two first-place votes in the coaches' poll.
The top two teams in each division automatically qualify for the 2011 State Farm Southland Conference Basketball Tournament, March 9-12, at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. The four teams with the next-best winning percentages round out the tournament's field of eight.
Sam Houston State returns two starters and four other lettermen from its 25-8 squad that battled eventual Elite Eight participant Baylor to the wire in the first round of NCAA "March Madness" at New Orleans.
The 2011 Kats will be lead by three seniors, forwards Gilberto Clavell and Josten Crow and guard Lance Pevehouse. Clavell was the Southland Conference "Newcomer of the Year" in 2010 and also earned All-Southland Conference second team honors.
Right now online, Sam Houston State is offering a tremendous offer -- general admission tickets to the first three Bearkat home men's games for three dollars. Thats $1 per game !
While going to www.gobearkats.com for the sale Nov. 5-13, fans also can purchase tickets for other Sam Houston State athletic events including the Bearkats' final home football game with Texas State Nov. 20. For more information, contact the Sam Houston Athletic Ticket Office located in the Ron Mafrige Fieldhouse. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office number is (936) 294-1729.
2011 Southland Preseason Poll
|
Head Coaches Poll |
|
|
East (First-place votes) |
Points |
|
1. Nicholls (5) |
53 |
|
2. Southeastern Louisiana (3) |
52 |
|
3. Northwestern State (1) |
45 |
|
4. Lamar (2) |
44 |
|
5. McNeese State (1) |
36 |
|
6. Central Arkansas |
16 |
|
West (First-place votes) |
Points |
|
1. Stephen F. Austin (8) |
62 |
|
2. Sam Houston State (2) |
51 |
|
3. Texas State (1) |
46 |
|
4. A&M-Corpus Christi (1) |
35 |
|
5. UTSA |
28 |
|
6. UT Arlington |
24 |
