McNeese invades Johnson Coliseum Saturday
1/16/2015 6:41:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Sam Houston men's basketball team faces another defensive challenge when they play host to McNeese State at 4:30 p.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum Saturday.
The Cowboys are led by Desharick Guidry, the fourth-leading scorer in the Southland Conference. A 6-5 senior forward, Guidry is averaging 17.4 points per game. He leads the league in rebounding with 11.7 boards per contest.
Sam Houston stands 8-0 on their home floor this season. The Bearkats own an 11-4 record and are 4-0 in Southland Conference play. McNeese is 6-8 for the year but has dropped league games to Stephen F. Austin, Houston Baptist and A&M-Corpus Christi. The Cowboys lost by only five points, 80-75, to the defending Southland champion Lumberjacks.
With seven players each averaging more than seven points a game, Sam Houston features a balanced attack in 2014-15.
DeMarcus Gatlin and Kaheem Ransom lead the Bearkats with double figure scoring averages of 11.3 and 10.3 points, respectively. Ransom has scored in double figures in 10 of Sam Houston's 16 games. Gatlin has nine double figure performances this season.
Jabari Peters, who scored a season best 21 Monday in a victory at Southeastern Louisiana, is just short of double figures with a 9.8 average that includes nine double figure games.
The other two members of the Kats' starting line-up, Michael Holyfield and Paul Baxter add averages of 8.9 and 8.1 points per game, respectively.
Sam Houston State leads the Southland Conference in scoring defense (61.1 points per game), scoring margin (+16.0 points) and field goal percentage defense (.372) this season.
The Bearkats also stands atop the league in rebounding offense (44.1) and rebounding margin (+9.6) for the year. Holyfield, Sam Houston's 6-11 senior center, stands third in the league individually with 8.0 rebounds. He also is tops in the league with 45 blocked shots.
Guidry is not the Cowboys' only offensive weapon. Kevin Hardy, a 6-2 senior guard, adds 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds to the McNeese State attack.
The men's game Saturday is the nightcap in a home doubleheader. The Sam Houston women's basketball team begins the doubleheader with a 2 p.m. contest with the Cowgirls.
Following Saturday's action, Sam Houston will travel to Thibodaux, La., to take on the Nicholls Colonels Tuesday night. Next home action for the SHSU men is a 4:30 p.m. contest with Stephen F. Austin Saturday, January 24.
All Sam Houston men's basketball games are broadcast live on KSAM 101.7 FM. Tickets are available online at www.gobearkats.com .
