Kats back home to host FIU, Liberty

HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston will try to snap a two-game Conference USA losing skid when it hosts FIU and Liberty at Johnson Coliseum this week.

The Bearkats will battle the Golden Panthers on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Sam Houston will look to avenge a 68-61 loss to FIU in Miami on Feb. 3.

The Golden Panthers overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to knock off the Kats, who struggled to make shots in the second half. A 0 for 12 shooting stretch and a 9-0 run by the Golden Panthers in the final 20 minutes turned the game around.

Sam Houston has a score to settle with Liberty as well.

The Flames ended the Bearkats' 5-0 start to CUSA play with an 82-66 victory in Lynchburg, Virginia on Jan. 20. Liberty outrebounded Sam Houston and shot 60 percent from the floor and 50 percent from behind the arc to earn the decisive win.

Sam Houston began a three-game road trip with an impressive win at Western Kentucky but has since lost to FIU and Jacksonville State heading into this weekend.

Both games are scheduled to be aired on ESPN+.

NOTES
This and that from the Jax State loss
• Sam Houston was out rebounded for the first time since the loss at Liberty (Jan. 20), 43-24.
• Huefner's 15 points gives him his third straight double-digit scoring effort, and fourth total double-digit game of the season

Season Tidbits
• Sam Houston outrebounded FIU 53-33 on Feb. 3. This was the 18th time the Kats have outrebounded a team this season. It is also the fourth time Sam Houston has outrebounded a team by 10 or more boards. The Bearkats are 15-3 when winning the rebound battle.
• Sam Houston's win at Western Kentucky on Feb. 1 ended a season-long home winning streak for the Hilltoppers. WKU was 10-0 at E.A. Diddle Arena before the loss.
• The Bearkats made 10 or more 3-pointers for the seventh time this season against WKU. Sam Houston has hit 10 four times and 13 3-pointers twice.
• Davon Barnes scored Sam Houston's first 13 points in the win over the Hilltoppers on Feb. 1 which is a school record for the most points scored by one player to start a game without anyone else scoring.
• Damon Nicholas Jr. has grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds twice this season, in the win over Middle Tennessee and UTEP. His previous best was 11 against Missouri State earlier this season.
• Jaden Ray hit the game-winning shot against Western Kentucky, which was the second game winner of his career, in the Bearkats' 78-74 victory at home on Jan. 10. As a sophomore, he hit almost the exact same shot to lift Sam Houston to a 65-63 victory over Abilene Christian in the WAC opener on Jan. 8, 2022.

Kats back home to host FIU, Liberty

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Players Mentioned

Davon Barnes

Damon Nicholas Jr.

Jaden Ray

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