UTSA, Bearkats meet Saturday at 7 p.m.
1/27/2011 9:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Seeking to end the Sam Houston men team's first three-game losing streak in Southland Conference play since 2005, the Bearkats welcome UTSA to Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum for a 7 p.m. contest vital to both teams.
The Roadrunners are locked in a first place tie with Stephen F. Austin, Texas State and UT-Arlington in the Southland West Division, all with 3-2 records. Sam Houston, 2-4 in league action, needs a win to stay in the hunt.
Saturday's contest marks the first rematch with a Southland foe this season. Sam Houston defeated the Roadrunners 62-59 in San Antonio January 8 in the opening league contest for both teams. Gilberto Clavell was the game's leading scorer with 26 points including two crucial free throws with 1:02 to play.
Since defeating Nicholls for their second league win, the Bearkats have dropped games to Texas State, A&M-Corpus Christi and Stephen F. Austin.
Clavell continues to rank as the Southland's second-leading scorer with 20.2 points a game. He has scored in double figures in 19 of the Bearkats' 20 contests this year.
With 947 career points in 52 games since transferring to Sam Houston from Collin Country Community College, Clavell is 53 points away from becoming SHSU's first junior college transfer to score 1,000 career points in two years of action at the NCAA Division I level.
Donald Cole, the Southland "Player of the Year" in 2003, totaled 984 points in his two years as a Bearkat. Corey Allmond, the three-point shooting wonder from last year's championship team, totaled 979 career points.
Senior Josten Crow also is averaging in double figures with 11.5 points per game.
History points to another close game Saturday. The last three meetings between the Kats and the Roadrunners have been decided by a total of 10 points.
UTSA comes to Huntsville with a two-game winning streak, defeating Texas State 88-84 last Saturday and defeating Oklahoma Panhandle State 71-50 in a non-conference encounter Tuesday. The Roadrunners are led by senior Devin Gibson who earned Southland Conference "Player of the Week" honors Monday.
Gibson has broken UTSA career records for steals, free throws and starts. He is averaging 15.6 points per game this season. Freshman Jeromie Hill leads all Southland freshmen in scoring with 13.6 points per game this season.
Saturday's contest will be broadcast live on KSAM 101.7 FM with streaming video available on www.gobearkats.com .
Whataburger is the official game sponsor for Sam Houston men's basketball Saturday. The contest has been designated as an "Orange Out" evening with the first 750 fans entering the Coliseum wearing orange receiving a coupon for a free Whataburger.
One lucky student will win a year's supply of Whatburger meals in a special halftime contest.
Tickets for all Sam Houston home athletic events are on sale online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU 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 number is (936) 294-1729.
