MEN FACE SHOWDOWN WITH UTEP
12/31/2010 10:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Bearkats have spent the week in El Paso, participating in the Bank of the West Don Haskins Sun Bowl UTEP Classic Tuesday and Wednesday.
The SHSU men split in their tournament games, falling to Air Force 76-65 then bouncing back for a 64-48 victory over Western New Mexico. The Bearkats stand 7-5 for the season.
Senior forward Josten Crow was one of five Classic participants selected to the Sun Bowl All-Tournament team with 26 total points in the two contests.
UTEP rolled over Western New Mexico 87-58 and defeated Air Force 71-58 in the Miners' two tournament games. UTEP stands 11-3 for the season and are 9-1 at home this year since dropping their season opener to Pacific. In the Miners' only other meeting with a Southland opponent this year, UTEP defeated Southland preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin 61-52.
Randy Culpepper, a 6-0 guard who ranks as the No. 7 all-time scorer in Conference USA history with 1,907 points, leads the Miners this year with 17.4 points per game. Christian Polk, a 6-4 forward who averages 12.1 points per game, was named as the Sun Bowl Classic's "Most Valuable Player."
Sam Houston is facing off with UTEP for the sixth time in the two programs' histories. The Miners have won all five meetings. All five previous meetings were in El Paso. The Bearkats almost knocked off the Miners in 1994, falling by two points, 76-74. UTEP defeated Sam Houston 83-72 in the pair's last meeting in December, 2008.
The Bearkats continue to be led by senior forwards Gilberto Clavell and Josten Crow. Clavell is the second leading scorer in the Southland Conference with 18.2 points per game and stands fourth in the league with 7.3 rebounds per contest.
Crow stands 11th in the Southland with 14.3 points per game.
Other probable starters for Sam Houston are guards Marcus Williams (8.5 points per game) and Drae Murray (5.3) and forward Marcus James (4.6). Senior guard Lance Pevehouse (7.5), junior forward Nafis Richardson (5.4) and junior center Antuan Bootle (5.0) are the first players off the Bearkat bench.
Sam Houston opens the defense of its Southland Conference championship on Saturday, 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.
