Bearkats face rematch with Cougars in Houston
12/19/2010 9:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sam Houston travels to meet the University of Houston Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Hofeinz Pavillion in a rematch of the pair's overtime battle in Huntsville Dec. 4.
Despite shooting only 33 percent from the field, the Bearkats fought tooth and nail before Houston took advantage of free throw opportunities in overtime as the Cougars pulled away for a 75-71 victory at Johnson Coliseum Dec. 4.
Sam Houston had a pair of one-point leads in overtime when senior Lance Pevehouse knocked down a 3-pointer with just under four minutes to go and junior Marcus James hit a free throw at the 2:13 mark. But the Bearkats missed their next four shots and Houston (went 9 of 10 from the line down the stretch to seal the win.
Senior forward Gilberto Clavell scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Sam Houston, while junior guard Drae Murray was 4 for 7 from long range and finished with 13 points.
Freshman forward Kendrick Washington was a load inside for the Cougars, recording a double-double with 21 points and 11 boards. Senior guard Zamal Nixon also scored in double figures for Houston with 14 points.
The Bearkats had their chances to win the game in regulation. Down 56-55 with 5:56 to go, Murray buried a 3 to put Sam Houston up. Washington responded with a three-point play and Darian Thibodeaux drilled a base-line jumper to give the Cougars a three-point lead with 4:13 left.
Sam Houston hit 17 of its 23 free throw attempts in the game and got to the line three times over the next two and a half minutes. But three of the misses came during that span and the Bearkats were only able to tie it at 61. Sam Houston came up with a big defensive stop in the final seconds and Pevehouse grabbed a defensive rebound and pushed the ball down the court to junior forward Antuan Bootle. But the big man couldn't get a shot off in time to send the game into overtime. The Bearkats just couldn't get anything to fall in the extra period, going 2 for 10 from the floor.
The Bearkats, 2-1 on the road this season, are hoping to put two wins back-to-back away from home after a 74-71 victory over Florida International in Miami Saturday. Led by Josten Crow who scored 23 points and Gilberto Clavell who added 16, Sam Houston State roared back from an eight-point deficit with 12 minutes to play for the win. The Bearkats outscored FIU28-17 in the final 12 minutes. Crow started the rally with a three-pointer at the 11:47 mark and a two-point jumper a minute later to cut the Panthers' margin to 54-51.
Clavell tied the contest 54-54 with an old fashioned three point play, scoring on a layup with 9:47 to play and adding a free throw after being fouled on the attempt.
After FIU answered with a basket, Nafis Richardson put the Bearkats ahead to stay with a three-point basket at the 8:43 mark. Sam Houston kept up the pressure with treys by Crow and Marcus Williams, a jumper by Williams and a layup by Clavell as the Kats never gave up the lead the rest of the way down the stretch.
Saturday's contest was a roller-coaster affair with an ebb and flow consisting of alternating runs. After four early lead changes, the Bearkats went on a 17-2 run to go up 23-10 on a Williams' three-point field goal. FIU bounced back to outscore Sam Houston 23-7 to go up 33-30 at intermission. The Panthers maintained their lead through the first eight minutes of the second period, but never were up by more than eight points before the Kats began their final rally.
Sam Houston stands 6-3 for the season after the win in Miami and a 74-62 loss to Cleveland State at Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville Saturday afternoon. The Vikings, now 12-0, own the best record in NCAA Division I men's basketball this season.
The Bearkats are being led by their three senior captains. Gilberto Clavell is averaging 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, Josten Crow 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds and Lance Pevehouse 7.6 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Clavell, the Southland Conference "Newcomer of the Year" in 2009-10, is a first team preseason All-Southland selection while Crow was named to the preseason second team.
Transfer guard Marcus Williams averages 9.0 points. Junior center Antuan Bootle adds a 6.3 scoring average and is pulling down 6.5 rebounds. Junior point guard Drae Murray owns a 5.8 scoring average and adds 5.0 assists per contest.
Following the Houston game, Sam Houston heads to El Paso, Tex., to participate in the Bank of the West Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational and play a road game with tournament host UTEP. The Kats face Air Force on Tuesday, Dec. 28 and Western New Mexico on Wednesday, Dec. 29 in the tournament. The Miners and Sam Houston face off on Sunday, Jan. 2.
Sam Houston opens the defense of its Southland Conference championship on Sautrday, Jan. 8, with a road game encounter at UTSA. The Bearkats' first Southland home game will be a 7 p.m. tilt with UT-Arlington on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.
Tickets for Sam Houston men's basketball are on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets.
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. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1764.
