HUNTSVILLE — For the second time in three seasons, Sam Houston will play its first game in a new conference Saturday at Johnson Coliseum.
 
The Bearkats (7-8) will host Louisiana Tech as Conference USA play gets underway. This will be Sam Houston's first game as a member of CUSA after spending the previous two in the Western Athletic Conference.
 
This will be the sixth meeting between the two programs. The Bulldogs (10-5) lead the all-time series against the Kats 1-4. Sam Houston won the last meeting, a 71-68 win in Huntsville on Dec. 8, 2019.
 
Sam Houston knocked off Dallas 93-53 victory at Johnson Coliseum on Tuesday to kick off 2024.
 
The Crusaders didn't score a field goal for the first five minutes of the game. The Bearkats hit four 3-pointers during that stretch, two each by Davon Barnes and Damon Nicholas Jr., to grab a quick 21-8 lead.
 
Dallas' first six points came at the free throw line as the Kats seized control of the game from the opening tip. By the time the Crusaders scored its first field goal with just over 15 and a half minutes to go in the opening half, Sam Houston led 15-6 with baskets by Souleymane Doumbia, Nicholas, Barnes and Anthony Wrzeszcz.
 
The biggest lead of the first half for the Bearkats came at 50-18 at the 4:32 mark when Jaden Ray and Wrzeszcz made back-to-back 3 and Lewis Rowe and Barnes knocked down a pair of jumpers.
 
Sam Houston kept cruising on offense in the second half. A dunk by Nicholas and a 3 by Owen McGlashan pushed the advantage to 39 at 77-38 midway through the period as the Kats never allowed the Crusaders to threaten.
 
Nicholas finished with a career-high 20 points for Sam Houston which shot 51 percent from the floor while holding Dallas to just 25 percent. Barnes added 14 points, and Wrzeszcz chipped in 11.
 
Tipoff is scheduled Saturday for 4:30 p.m. with the game scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+.