Kats host Howard Payne in home opener

Game 2 • vs Howard Payne

Huntsville, Texas • Johnson Coliseum

Howard Payne (0-0) vs Sam Houston (0-1)

Saturday, Nov. 7 • 2:30 PM CST

TV: ESPN+

HOW TO FOLLOW: Live Stats • @Bearkats_MBB

Series vs the Yellow Jackets: 33-31

HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston will host Howard Payne on Saturday in the home opener for the 2026-27 season at Johnson Coliseum.

The Bearkats (0-1) opened the 2026-27 season with a 96-74 loss at No. 20 Alabama on Nov. 3 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. Sam Houston trailed 40-29 at halftime before the Crimson Tide opened the second half with a 16-2 run to pull away.

Jacobe Coleman led Sam Houston with 16 points, including four 3-pointers, while Justin Begg added 13 points, four rebounds and four assists. Zion Pipkin chipped in 11 points, and Enel St. Bernard grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
The Bearkats shot 45 percent in the second half after connecting on just 30 percent of their attempts before the break. Sam Houston did shoot a blazing 45.5 percent from long range by hitting 15 of 33 3-point attempts. The Kats also won the rebound battle 45-43.

HOW KATS HAVE FAIRED IN HOME OPENERS
Since moving to the DI level in the 1987-88 season, Sam Houston is 35-4 (.897) in home openers at Johnson Coliseum. Two games that standout are a 117-42 win over Dallas Christian in 2020-21 which was the biggest margin of victory, and a 132-96 win against Concordia in 1990-91 for the highest scoring total.

Sam Houston is 2-1 under head coach Chris Mudge in home openers. The Kats lost 79-73 to Utah Valley in 2023, beat Trinity 105-78 in 2024 and beat LeTourneau 95-59 last season.

SHSU VS POWER 4 OPPONENTS AND TOP 25
The Kats are 2-9 against Power 4 schools the past four seasons following a loss at No. 20 Alabama on Nov. 3. Sam Houston had losses at Oklahoma State, No. 10 Texas Tech and Utah last season.

The last win for the Bearkats was an upset of Oklahoma 52-51 in the opener of the 2022-23 season in Norman followed by a 65-55 victory at Utah on Nov. 15, 2022, in Salt Lake City. The Kats have also never defeated a team ranked in the top 25 of the polls.

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Players Mentioned

Justin Begg

Jacobe Coleman

Zion Pipkin

Enel St. Bernard

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