Visit to No. 11 Kentucky Friday
11/25/2011 7:36:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Wildcats have started at 5-0 for the third straight season and are riding a 25-game winning streak vs. non-conference opponents at home.
The Bearkats fell 79-56 at Vanderbilt last Tuesday night for their first loss of the season after a pair of non-conference victories over UT-Dallas and Mary Hardin-Baylor at home.
Preseason All-Southland Conference selections Britni Martin and Sequeena Thomas led the Kats in the game with 19 and 16 points, respectively.
"You get better by playing good teams," Sam Houston head coach Brenda Nichols said. "Playing outstanding teams like Kentucky in pressure-packed arenas will help us down the stretch when we get into Southland Conference play."
Four Bearkats are averaging in double figures this season with Thomas leading the way with 21.0 points per game. Martin boasts a 16.0 scoring mean and freshmen Angela Beadle and Jasmin Wiley are adding 13.3 and 10.0 points per game, respectively.
"Sam Houston State is a team that is averaging 79.0 points a game and forcing its opponent into 22.0 turnovers per game," Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell said. "Those two stats are making us focus on our defense and ball security during our preparation. Sam Houston is a team that has some firepower and athleticism. We need to come focused and prepared to play 40 minutes of Kentucky basketball against Sam Houston State on Friday night."
The Wildcats lead the Southeastern Conference in turnover margin (+20.2) and steals (18.2). UK forces an impressive 37.6 turnovers per game and holds its opponent to 50.2 points per game.
Junior guard A'dia Mathies has been the key catalyst in the Cats' defensive pressure as she leads the team in steals with 4.6 per game. The All-SEC first-team selection swiped a career-high nine steals vs. Nebraska Omaha, tying for the second most steals in school history.
UK's defense, which has forced at least 30 turnovers in all five games, averages 40.2 points off turnovers compared to the opponents' 10.8 ppg. The Cats also have scored at least 80 points in all five games and lead the SEC in scoring offense (89.2).
Next action for the Bearkat women after Friday's action in Kentucky will be a visit to Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum by Texas-Pan American Thursday Dec. 1. The two teams will tip at 6 p.m.
Tickets for Sam Houston women's basketball home events are available now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets . The Sam Houston athletic ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
