High-flying Lamar women visit Saturday
2/25/2011 8:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Sam Houston women's basketball team plays host to Lamar Saturday at 2 p.m. in a key Southland Conference match-up.
The Cardinals bring the best overall season record in the Southland into Huntsville with their 22-5 mark. Lamar stands 11-2 in league play. Sam Houston is tied for first place with UTSA in the West Division with a 9-4 league mark and is 15-12 for the year.
The game will be broadcast live in Huntsville on KHVL 1490 AM and on the internet on www.gobearkats.com .
The Sam Houston women's basketball team has clinched their second consecutive berth in the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament in Katy March 8-11. With three games remaining in the regular season schedule, the Bearkat women stand tied for fi rst place with UTSA in the West with an 9-4 conference mark.
At 15-12 with three regular season games to go, Sam Houston is looking to nail down its first above .500 year since the 1995-96 Bearkat squad went 18-10. The 1996 Kat women fi nished third in the Southland with a 13-5 league record, SHSU's highest women's Southland standing ever. In 24 years at the NCAA Division I level, SHSU has posted winning season marks only twice - 18-10 in 1996 and 18-9 in 1988. Sam Houston head coach Brenda Welch-Nichols was the leading scorer for the 1988 squad.
Four Bearkats rank high in Southland Conference statistics categories. Britni Martin is the league's second-leading scorer with 16.1 points per game. Sequeena Thomas ranks 10th in scoring (13.8) and second in rebounds (9.5). Chanice Smith is 18th in scoring (11.4 points per game). Khamra Echols stands third in the Southland in assists (4.0).
Prior to the contest, Sam Houston's two 2011 seniors, Lauren Tippet and Terrah Austin will be recognized in a special ceremony.
Lamar holds a narrow 19-18 advantage over Sam Houston in the all-time women's basketball series between the two teams. Since the Cardinals rejoined the Southland, the series is tied with 11 victories apiece. Sam Houston split with the Cardinals last week. Lamar won 86-68 in Beaumont and SHSU 75-65 in Huntsville.
Tickets for all Sam Houston State home athletic events are on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets and 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.
