Abilene Christian visits Kats Monday at 6:30
2/15/2015 7:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Riding a six-game winning streak and having earned victories in 15 of their last 16 games, Sam Houston has battled back into first place in the Southland Conference.
The SHSU men lead defending champion Stephen F. Austin by a half-game. The Kats sport an 11-1 league mark while SFA stands 10-1 after a loss to A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday.
Monday night the Bearkats play their next-to-last home game on the 2015 schedule as they host Abilene Christian in a 6:30 p.m. tilt with Abilene Christian.
Sam Houston's 20-5 overall record marks the Bearkats' best start ever as an NCAA Division I team in the Southland. This year's record ranks as the best since the SHSU men stood 22-3 after 25 games on the way to the 1986 NCAA Division II regionals.
Saturday's victory at HBU earned Sam Houston its eighth 20-win season at the NCAA Division I level. The 2015 Kats 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 was the Kats' 25th contest this season. Sam Houston's previous NCAA Division I 20-win seasons have been 2000 22-7; 2003 23-7; 2006 22-9; 2007 21-10, 2008 23-8, 2010 25-8 and 2014 24-11.
Head Coach Jason Hooten has been a part of six of the 20-win seasons (four as an assistant coach and two as head coach) since joining the Bearkat staff in 2005.
Sam Houston defeated Abilene Christian 80-63 in their first meeting this year in Abilene, a victory that started the current winning streak.
Five Bearkats scored in double figures and six hit at least one three-point shot as Sam Houston in the victory. Kaheem Ransom led Sam Houston with 13 points. DeMarcus Gatlin and Dakarai Henderson each totaled 12 points, Michael Holyfield added 11 and Jabari Peters totaled 10 points.
Gatlin led the Kats under the boards with seven rebounds.Twelve of Sam Houston's 26 field goals in the contest were three-point baskets. Ransom led the team with three treys. The Bearkats shot 50 percent from the field (26-of-52).
After hosting Abilene Christian Monday night in the SHSU men's next-to-last home game, the Kats will close the regular season with four of their last five games on the road. Sam Houston will travel to Central Arkansas, A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar before finishing Southland play at SFA.
