Kats Kick off 2018-19 Campaign Against ETBU

HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston State men’s basketball team is set to open up the 2018-19 season at home with a 6:30 p.m. contest against East Texas Baptist University on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at Johnson Coliseum.

“We are really ready to get out and get this season started,” Hooten said. “We’ve all been putting in a lot of hard work and we’re ready to play against another team. It’s an exciting time of the year just being able to start the process of going out and seeing where we are at as a team.”

GAME 1 – SHSU (0-0, 0-0 SLC) vs East Texas Baptist (0-0, 0-0 ASC)

Date & Time: Tuesday, Nov. 6 • 6:30 p.m. (Central)

Location: Huntsville, Texas

Site: Johnson Coliseum

Follow Along: Live Stats • Radio (90.5 FM – The Kat) • Twitter

SHSU MBB: Game Notes | 2018-19 Quick Facts | 2018-19 Record Book | MBB Home Page

BEARKAT BITES

Hooten Continues Winning Ways

Thanks to the Kats’ 21-win season in 2017-18, Sam Houston State University has compiled ten 20-victory seasons in its 30 years at the NCAA Division I level. Jason Hooten has been a part of eight of those either as head coach or as an assistant. Since he joined the staff in July 2004, the Bearkats have compiled a record of 298 wins and 187 losses. The Sam Houston men have earned Southland tournament berths each of his 15 years in Huntsville (winning the event in 2010, also reaching the finals in 2006, 2014 and 2015 and the semifinals nine times). Hooten has directed SHSU to 20-win seasons in four of the last five seasons

Kats Tabbed Sixth In Preseason Poll

Prior to the start of the 2018-19 season, the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth overall in the Southland Conference. The Bearkats, who picked up their fourth 20-win season in the last five years, advanced to the semifinals of the CIT and finished the season with an impressive 21-15 overall record for the 2017-18 season.

Harris Earns SLC Preseason Second-Team Laurels

Representing the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team, senior guard Marcus Harris was named to the Southland’s 2018-19 Preseason All-Conference second team. Harris, who took a redshirt during the 2016-17 season due to NCAA transfer rules, had a fantastic opening season with the Bearkat squad after making the switch from San Diego. The lone returning starter, Harris made 30 starts in 34 appearances as a junior and averaged 9.4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. He shot 30.4 percent from beyond the arc and averaged 77.9 percent from the foul line. Harris had 12 double-digit scoring games, 10 of which coming in SLC action. Harris went off for a season-high 28 points against Abilene Christian, hitting 14-for-15 from the foul line in the game. He had a 27-point game against Houston Baptist and an impressive 23-point effort at Nicholls. He recorded the first double-double of his career against Hardin-Simmons, racking up 12 points and a season-high 10 rebounds in the victory.

Home-Court Advantage

Kicking off the first week of the season at Johnson Coliseum, the Bearkats will play two of their 14 home games in the opening week of the 2018-19 season. Thursday’s game against Southwestern will be the last home game until the squad returns for a Nov. 28 matchup against Central Michigan. Following the contest with the Chippewas, Sam Houston will play two more non-conference home games against Alabama State (Dec. 18) and Texas Lutheran (Dec. 31) before opening up SLC play. Going 14-1 at home just one season ago, the Bearkats posted a .933 winning percentage at Johnson Coliseum - the highest mark since their perfect, 15-0 home record in 2002-03.

Seven Solid Veterans

After losing nine student-athletes from last season’s roster, head coach Jason Hooten looks to seven veteran Bearkats to lead his squad in his ninth season as head coach. The Kats returning class is made up of four seniors - Albert Almanza, Cameron Delaney, Josh Delaney and Marcus Harris - and three sophomores - Bubba Furlong, Dajuan Jones and Chidozie Ndu.

2017-18 CIT Tournament Success

After making its first CollegeInsider.com Tournament for the first time in 2014, the Bearkats returned to the postseason tournament for the fourth time last year. Josh Delaney carried over his strong performance from the Southland Conference Tournament by pouring in 19 points, including a key late 3-point bucket, to propel the Bearkats past Eastern Michigan, 69-62, in its opener of the CIT. The Kats kept the momentum alive and overcame a 12-point deficit to defeat UTSA 76-69 before suffering a 99-80 loss at Northern Colorado.

Three-Point Threshold

Through 36 games last season, the Bearkat offense sunk a total of 257 shots beyond the arc - the most since Sam Houston’s 2006-07 season. The 2006-07 squad drilled 263 three-pointers in 740 attempts. Josh Delaney led the Bearkats and ranked eighth in the league with 68 three-pointers while John Dewey III racked up 46 of his own.

New Faces on the Bench

Equalling the number of Bearkat returners, Hooten added seven fresh newcomers to the 2018-19 squad. These new faces include junior transfers Chad Bowie, Kai Mitchell and Zaqwaun Matthews, sophomore RJ Smith, and freshmen Xavier Bryant, Cyrus Johnson and Zach Nutall.

Delving Into Defense

Showing improvement on the boards in 2017-18, the Kats averaged 37.7 rebounds and brought in a whopping 1357 - 76 more than the season before and 100 more than in 2015-16.

Double Trouble

One of the few sets of twins in NCAA Division I basketball, twin brothers Cameron and Josh Delaney are set to step out on to the floor for their final seasons in Bearkat uniforms. Josh Delaney was named to the all-tournament team at the SLC Tournament last season after averaging 19.0 points per game and hitting nine three-pointers in two games. Cameron made four starts in 35 appearances last season, bringing in 91 rebounds and averaging 4.3 points per game.

Setting Sights on the Cayman Island Classic

The Kats are set to participate in the 2018 Cayman Island Classic. The Cayman Island Classic is an annual preseason men’s Division I basketball tournament that takes place during Thanksgiving week. The Kats will travel to Clemson and Georgia and will finish out the tournament in Johnson City, Tenn.

SERIES HISTORY

Meeting first in the 1948-49 season, ETBU holds a 10-7 all-time series lead over the Bearkats. It has been over 20 years since the Tigers and Bearkats last met. The most recent matchup dates back to Dec. 12, 1995, when ETBU made out with a 78-73 victory over Sam Houston.

FINAL DETAILS

Tip-off at Johnson Coliseum is slated for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Live stats, as well as a radio broadcast on 90.5 FM – The Kat, will be available for the Bearkats’ season opener. For more information on the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team, visit gobearkats.com or follow @BearkatsMBB on Twitter.

Kats Kick off 2018-19 Campaign Against ETBU

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