First Round Showdown
3/7/2011 3:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball
"Last year, when we were going to the tournament for the first time in six years, we were just happy to be going to Katy," Nichols said. "This year the girls aren't just satisfied to be there. They want to win the thing."
Based on their performance in a record-breaking 2011 season, the Bearkat women certainly will be a factor in the event which begins Tuesday at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy.
A program that has not finished among the Southland's top five teams since 2000 and was predicted to finish sixth in the West this year, Sam Houston rolled up an 11-5 league record to tie with UTSA as 2011 Southland Conference West Division co-champions.
With a 17-13 overall regular season mark, Sam Houston nailed down its first above .500 year since the 1995-96 Bearkat squad went 18-10.
The Bearkats' 11-5 Southland record and tie for third in the 2011 overall Southland race marks the SHSU women's highest league victory total since 2000. The third place finish equals the 1996 team's performance as the highest Southland final standing ever for Sam Houston.
This all was accomplished with a starting lineup that consists of three sophomores, a junior and one senior.
"It's been amazing the way such a young squad has been able to play with the maturity they've shown," Nichols said. "They're excited about the opportunity we have this year."
Sam Houston meets UTSA in the first round at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. The winner of the game will meet the winner of the McNeese State versus Southeastern Louisiana contest on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The championship game will be Friday at 7 p.m.
The Bearkats' top two scorers, sophomore forwards Britni Martin and Sequeena Thomas, were named as 2011 All-Southland Conference honorees Monday.
Martin is the league's third-leading scorer with 16.3 points per game. Thomas ranks 10th in scoring (14.4), 2nd in rebounds (10.1) and 4th in blocks (1.6).
Sam Houston and UTSA split in their games during the regular season with the Bearkats winning 62-53 in Huntsville on Jan. 8 and the Roadrunners taking a 75-66 victory in San Antonio January 29.
"It's been more than a month since we played UTSA, so it's almost like playing a whole new team," Nichols said. "It's going to be a good matchup and we're going to have to remained focused to be successful."
Tuesday's women's game will be broadcast live in Huntsville on KHVL AM 1490. The contest also will be video streamed live on www.southland.org .
Tickets for the State Farm Southland Conference Women's Basketball Tournament are on sale online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets . For more information, call the SHSU athletic ticket office at (936) 294-1729.
2011 State Farm Southland Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
Leonard E. Merrell Center, Katy, Texas; March 9-12, 2011
Tuesday, March 8
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 11
Championship Game: 7 p.m.
