First-place Kats to play host to Lamar
Game 20
Saturday, Jan. 26 • Huntsville • 5:30 p.m. • Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum (6,100)
Sam Houston State (11-8, 6-0 Southland) vs Lamar (9-10, 2-4 Southland)
Live Stats • ESPN3 • Purchase Tickets • @BearkatsMBB on Twitter
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston State Bearkats are off to their best start in conference play since 2014-15 and will be looking to keep that hot streak going on Saturday when they host Lamar at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
The game is set to tip off at 5:30 p.m., or at least 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women’s game, at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum as part of a men’s/women’s doubleheader. It can be watched on ESPN3 with Tom Franklin on the call. Fans can follow along via live stats, or get updates by following @BearkatsMBB on Twitter.
The evening will feature a halftime scrimmage by Buddy Basketball, presented by Domino’s.
Sam Houston extended its overall win streak to seven games and stayed as the lone unbeaten team in conference play on Wednesday when Coach Jason Hooten’s Bearkats nailed 14 3-point baskets and got 16 points off the bench from RJ Smith to take down Northwestern State, 78-64, in Natchitoches.
The Kats will enter Saturday having posted a 7-1 record on its home floor this year and with wins in 35 of their last 40 games at Johnson Coliseum in the past three seasons. They are averaging 8.57 makes from beyond the arc this year, the most since 2009-10, but are also defending at a high level, averaging a league-low 61.3 points per game in its six league contests to date.
Kai Mitchell, the reigning SLC Player of the Week, has averaged better than 14 points and six rebounds in that span and is one of three Bearkats to average in double figures this year. In the Bearkats’ six league victories, they have had five different leading scorers with only freshman guard Zach Nutall having led the team in scoring multiple times in that span.
They will be facing a Lamar squad that has been one of the top scoring teams in the league this year, averaging over 79 points per game and are pulling in more than 40 rebounds per contest, a mark that is the best in the Southland.
Lamar is coming off a thrilling 88-82 win at home in overtime on Wednesday, already the third time in league play that the Cardinals have been pushed to overtime and the first time they have come out victorious.
To little surprise, senior post Josh Nzeakor has been one of their top players all season and averages sixth in the league in scoring (15.6 ppg) and third in the league in rebounding (8.3 rpg). Nick Garth is right behind him in the scoring column with 15.4 points per game, while point guard Jordan Hunter is averaging 10.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
SERIES vs LAMAR
The Bearkats lead the all-time series against Lamar, 35-31, but has won two of the past three meetings. The Bearkats came up just shy of recording a sweep last season, dropping an overtime decision in Beaumont (the second-straight OT loss vs LU in the Montagne Center) before pulling out a 71-69 win in Huntsville. The Bearkats are 22-9 all-time at home vs LU.
