Men tackle Houston Baptist On Road Saturday
2/13/2015 11:06:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sam Houston (19-5, Southland 10-1) begins its stretch run for the final three weeks of the men's basketball regular season with the first of five upcoming road contests Saturday at Houston Baptist.
The Kats and the Huskies tip off at 7:30 p.m. at Sharp Gym. The two teams met in Huntsville on January 31 with the Bearkats winning 63-52.
A victory Saturday would earn Sam Houston its seventh 20-win season at the NCAA Division I level.
The 2015 Kats would also stand as the fastest SHSU men's team to 20 wins. The 2000, 2003 and 2010 teams earned their 20th victory in their 26th game of the year. Saturday is the Kats' 25th contest this season.
Head Coach Jason Hooten has been a part of five of the 20-win seasons since joining the Bearkat staff as an assistant in for the 2005 season.
Sam Houston's 19-5 overall record and 11-1 Southland performance mark the Bearkats' best starts since the 2010 league championship season. The 2010 squad rolled to a 19-5 record before their sixth loss and won 11 consecutive games before the first of two SLC losses.
With seven players averaging 7.9 points per game or more, Sam Houston features one of the most balanced attacks in the league. Each of the seven players has led the Kats in scoring in at least one game and all seven have combined to tally double figures in 67 games.
Sam Houston has had games with five players in double figures four times and four players in double digits on eight occasions.
DeMarcus Gatlin (11.5), Jabari Peters 11.5) and Paul Baxter (10.8) all own double figure scoring averages in Southland play. Gatlin (11.0) and Kaheem Ransom (10.3) average double figures overall for the season. Michael Holyfield (9.0), Dakarai Henderson (8.7) and Aurimas Majauskas (7.5) also add to the Bearkats' offense.
A consistent starting line-up has been a trademark of the Bearkats. Sam Houston started the same line-up all 35 games in 2014. Four of those players have started each contest in 2015.
This year's starters have played a combined 408 games including 369 total starts. Saturday, Holyfield will be making his 100th start as a Bearkat.
Peters scored 13 points and Ransom added 10 to lead Sam Houston in the 63-52 victory over Houston Baptist January 30. Richmonds Vilde led the Huskies with 12 points. Colter Lincoln added 10.
After HBU held a brief 3-2 lead in the third minute of the contest, Sam Houston went on a 16-7 run to go up 18-9 lead on four consecutive three point baskets by Ransom, Marquel McKinney, Majauskas and Peters. The Kats never trailed again, leading 32-22 at intermission and by 25 with 6:59 to play in the game.
Junior guard Anthony Odunsi leads HBU with 12.5 points per game. The Huskies bring a 11-10 overall mark and a 6-5 Southland Conference record into the contest.
