Kats host Jacks Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
3/4/2016 2:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
With the number three seed locked up for next week's Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Sam Houston will take on Stephen F. Austin Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
The game is the nightcap in a doubleheader with the Bearkat and Lumberjack women's teams that is being telecast on ESPN3 and ESPN College Extra. The women's game starts the telecast with a tip at 4:35 p.m. Both games are available online on WatchESPN.com, WatchESPN app for Apple and Android devices and Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and XBOX.
The men's game will be available on national TV at DirecTV 790, Verizon Fios 323 and AT&T Uverse 616.
SFA is perfect in Southland action with a 17-0 record and a 24-5 overall record this season. Sam Houston has clinched their ninth top three finish in the Southland in the past 11 seasons with a 12-5 league mark and a 17-13 overall won-loss record.
Stephen F. Austin defeated Sam Houston 76-64 in Nacogdoches on Saturday January 23. Aurimas Majauskas led the Kats with 17 points and Dakarai Henderson added 14.
Sam Houston got off to a poor start, falling behind 13-2 in the opening minutes and trailing by as many as 17 points in the first half. But the Bearkats clawed their way back into the game in the final 20 minutes. Twice Sam Houston pulled to with 10 points and the Kats were down by only nine with three to play.
“We needed to get off to a good start against them but we made too many early turnovers,” Sam Houston head coach Jason Hooten said. “We will have to eliminate the mistakes against them Saturday. We're going to need an outstanding defensive effort.”
Sam Houston has won five of its last six games including two victories this week. The Kats defeated Central Arkansas 83-73 in Conway on Monday and nailed down the number three seed with a 94-76 victory on Thursday over Lamar.
The Bearkats' two top scorers have had outstanding performances this week. Henderson totaled 28 points (including five three-pointers) to help Sam Houston overcome a 10-point first half deficit to defeat the UCA Bears. Then Majauskas posted 26 points and pulled down eight rebound versus Lamar.
Supporting cast members Jamal Williams, Albert Almanza, Jovante' Spivey and Torry Butler all have contributed as well. Williams scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds Thursday night. Almanza, Spivey and Butler also hit some big baskets down the stretch in the two wins.
“One of the things that really has impressed me about our team this year has been their resiliency,” Hooten said. “We've had some disappointing losses, but each time they've picked themselves up and come back with a victory. They're going to play hard Saturday.”
As the number three seed, Sam Houston will receive a bye in the Southland Tournament at the Leonard Merrell Center in Katy, Texas, when the event begins Wednesday March 9. Sam Houston will take on the winner of the Number 6 vs. 7 seed game in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m.
The complete draw for both the men's and women's tournaments will be announced Sunday.
KSAM 101.7 FM will broadcast Saturday's men's game live in the Walker Country area.
