Title defense opens Wednesday
3/8/2011 10:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
For the third year in a row, Sam Houston State is the Southland Conference West Division champion. Facing the possibility of elimination from contention for a post-season tournament berth, the Bearkats rallied to win four of their last five games and end in a tie with Texas State for first place in the West, each with a 10-6 record.
Sam Houston won the West with a 12-4 mark in 2009 and a 14-2 league record last year. The Bearkats' No. 3 seed in 2011 marks the sixth year in a row Sam Houston has been a top three seed in the Southland classic.
The Bearkats and the Lumberjacks split in their two regular season meetings in 2011.
Sam Houston dominated the paint in a 55-40 win over SFA on Wednesday March 2 in Nacogdoches. The Kats outscored the Jacks 34-16 in the paint with Gilberto Clavell leading the way with 17 points. The Kats also dominated the boards outrebounding SFA 34-19.
From the opening tip, the Kats were very active on the defensive side of the ball. SFA didn't score its first points of the game until the 13:04 mark and they finished the first have with just 14 points on 33 percent shooting. The Lumberjacks didn't get to 20 points on the scoreboard until 16 minutes left to play in the game.
SFA won the pair's first meeting as Darius Gardner scored 15 points and three other Lumberjacks tallied in double figures as the Jacks rolled to a 63-49 victory Wednesday Jan. 26 in Huntsville.
Clavell led Sam Houston with 26 points. The Bearkats jumped out to a quick five-point lead in the first five minutes, but SFA roared back to take a 33-23 halftime lead and go up by as many as 18 points in the second half.
Sam Houston holds a 93-92 edge in the all-time men's basketball series with the Lumberjacks.
"Every time we play Stephen F. Austin it's a battle," head coach Jason Hooten said. "SFA had us on our heels in the first game in Huntsville. But, as the season has progressed, our team has found its rhythm and we had one of our best defensive efforts of the season at Nacogdoches. We have a lot of respect for their team and know they will come into Katy ready to play."
As the Kats have done all season, Sam Houston will look to their three seniors, Gilberto Clavell, Josten Crow and Lance Pevehouse, for leadership.
Gilberto Clavell has moved up to No. 18 in the SHSU all-time scoring standings. Clavell is the only junior college transfer in the top 20. He has scored 1,121 points in 62 games since transferring to Sam Houston from Collin County Community College. Clavell as scored in double figures 55 times including 27 games with 20 or more points and four with 30 or more.
Crow is the only four-year player on the team. The 6-4 forward has scored 774 points in 113 career games. Pevehouse is in his third season at SHSU with 715 career points in 91 appearances.
Sam Houston is the defending tournament champion. After rolling up a 14-2 Southland record in 2010 to claim the regular season title, the Kats knocked off Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana and defending champion Stephen F. Austin to win the league post-season tournament.
In the university's second NCAA "March Madness" appearance, Sam Houston threw a scare into eventual Elite Eight participant Baylor in New Orleans before falling 68-59. The Bearkats led 31-30 at half and the contest was tied 55-55 with 3:48 before the last of 15 lead changes.
Tournament tickets are available online right now. Purchase State Farm Southland Conference Tournament Tickets
All Sam Houston men's basketball tournament games will be broadcast live on KSAM 101.7 FM in Huntsville and video streamed live on www.southland.org.
State Farm Southland Conference Tournament
Leonard E. Merrell Center - Katy, Texas - March 9-12, 2011
Radio: KSAM 101.7 FM - Video Streaming: www.southland.org
Wednesday, March 10
Game 1: No. 7 UTSA vs. No. 2 Northwestern State, Noon
Game 2: No. 6 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 3 Sam Houston State, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 8 Nicholls State vs. No. 1 McNeese State, 6 p.m.
Game 4: No. 5 Southeastern Louisiana vs. No. 4 Texas State, 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 11
Men's Game Five: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6:05 p.m.
Men's Game Six: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8:33 p.m. (Approximately)
Saturday, March 13
Championship Game: 3:05 p.m.
