Watch out Southland Conference.
The Bearkat women look like the real deal in 2011.
On Saturday afternoon in San Marcos, five Bearkats scored in double figures as Sam Houston once again rallied from a second half deficit for a 93-79 Southland women's basketball victory over Texas State.
The win completed the most successful regular season campaign for the SHSU women since 1996 as the Kats stand 17-13 for the year and 11-5 in league action.
The Sam Houston women are 2011 Southland West Division champions, the program's first title at the NCAA Division I llevel.
Khamra Echols led Sam Houston with 19 points. Britni Martin, Sequeena Thomas. Chanice Smith and Terrah Austin added 17, 15, 14 and 11 points respectively.
Texas State (9-20, 4-12) was led by Kelsey Krupa with 21 points.
The contest was a roller-coaster affair with 16 ties and 19 lead changes. The contest was tied 39-39 at half.
Texas State led by six points 49-43 at the 15:54 mark in the second half. But the Bearkats roared back taking the lead 68-66 with 7:17 to play on a layup by Austin.
Sam Houston finished the game with a 27-13 run.
"This team has accomplished so much and been such a pleasure to coach," SHSU head coach Brenda Nichols said. "To produce only the third winning record at the NCAA Division I level in the program's 24 years in the Southland with such a young group is amazing. Now it's tournament time and anything could happen."
The Bearkat defense played a big role in the victory, holding Texas State to 38.2 percent shooting and creating 23 points off the Bobcats 18 turnovers.
Sam Houston also out-rebounded the Bobcats. Thomas produced her sixth consecutive game with double figure points and rebounds, pulling down 12 rebounds. Austin also grabbed 12 boards.
The victory gives Sam Houston State the No. 4 seed in the State Farm Southland Conference women's tournament in Katy next week.
The complete schedule for the women's tournament:
2011 State Farm Southland Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
Leonard E. Merrell Center, Katy, Texas; March 8-12, 2011
Tuesday, March
Game 1: No 2 Lamar vs. No. 7 Northwestern State, 12 noon
Game 2: No. 3 Central Arkansas vs. No. 6 Stephen F. Austin, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 1 McNeese State vs. No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana 6 p.m.
Game 4: No. 4 Sam Houston vs. No. 5 UTSA, 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 10
Game 5: Game One Winner vs. Game Two Winner, 12 noon
Game 6: Game Three Winner vs. Game Four Winner, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, March 111
Championship Game: 7 p.m.
