The Port Arthur News
HUNTSVILLE —
HUNTSVILLE – After a disappointing 62-52 home loss Wednesday to Stephen F.
Austin that led head coach Pat Knight to lash out at the team’s seniors, the Lamar men’s basketball team will look to rebound Saturday night at Johnson Coliseum when the Cardinals face Sam Houston State in Southland Conference action. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
The Cardinals lost in the Montagne Center for just the second time this year to
fall into a tie for fourth in the conference standings with UTSA at 8-5. Lamar,
17-11 overall, owns the tiebreaker over the Roadrunners with just three league
games left to play.
Sam Houston State comes into Saturday’s contest with a 12-16 overall mark and
6-7 conference record. The Bearkats have won their last three conference games,
including Wednesday’s 50-37 victory at Northwestern State.
This will be the 54th meeting between the two schools with the Cardinals holding
a slim 28-25 series advantage. Sam Houston has won the last three meetings,
though, and owns a 15-8 advantage in Huntsville. Lamar last won in Johnson
Coliseum on Feb. 18, 2009, by a 60-57 score.
Following their poor shooting performance Wednesday, when they made only 28 percent of their field goal attempts, Lamar is now sixth in the league in field goal percentage at 43.0 percent. The Cardinals do rank second in free throw shooting at 71.8 percent, and they are also second in fewest
turnovers per game (12.8), steals per game (8.7) and blocked shots (4.1).
Senior guard Mike James led the Cards with 15 points against SFA, but shot just
6-of-22 in the game. The 6-foot-1 James leads the team in scoring at 16.1 points
per game. Anthony Miles is second in scoring at 14.2 per game, and leads Lamar
with 3.8 assists per contest.
Senior guard Devon Lamb bounced back from a two-rebound game at George Mason to
match his career-high with 15 against the ‘Jacks. Lamb is grabbing a team-best
8.3 rebounds per game to go along with his 11.4 points per game.
Junior guard Konner Tucker leads the Bearkats in scoring at 12.3 points per
game. Tucker has also hit nearly half the Bearkats’ 3-pointers on the year,
making 63 of the team’s 128.
Lamar at Sam Houston St.
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Johnson Coliseum, Huntsville
Records: 8-5, 17-11, SHS 6-7, 12-16
Series: LU leads 28-25
Last meeting: LU 67-60 on Feb. 26, 2011 in Beaumont
Radio: KLVI (560-AM)
Probable starters — LU: Anthony Miles 6-1, Sr. (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.8 apg); Devon Lamb 6-2, Sr. (11.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg); Mike James 6-1, Sr. (16.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg); Stan Brown 6-8, Jr. (5.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg); Brandon Davis 6-6, Sr. (9.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg). SHS: Darius Gatson 5-11, Jr. (6.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.5 apg); DeMarcus Gatlin 6-4, Soph. (10.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg); Steven erner 6-8, Jr. (10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg); Marcus James 6-7, Sr. (10.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg); Kooner Tucker 6-4, Jr. (13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg).
LU fast fact: Leading at halftime is a game to the Cardinals winning. No since the season opener against Arkansas State has Lamar rallied to win after trailing at the half.
SHS fast fact: Bearkats have won thres straight SLC games and currently have seven best overall record in the league with three games remaining.
