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February 15, 2010

Red-hot Bearkats climb RPI ladder to No. 74

Winners of 10 conference games in a row, SHSU ranks ahead of La. Tech, Notre Dame

After improving to 10-0 in the Southland Conference with a 90-74 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus; Christi on Saturday, the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team climbed to No. 74 in the latest ratings percentage index standings, which was released Monday.

The Bearkats stand 18-5 for the year and are unbeaten in conference play. The only other teams in NCAA Division I men’s basketball unbeaten in league action are Kansas (10-0 in the Big 12), Butler (16-0 in the Horizon League), Morgan State (10-0 in the Mid-Eastern Conference) and Murray State (15-0 in the Ohio Valley).

Sam Houston also produced nonconference victories earlier this season over Auburn, Oral Roberts and Rider and played No. 4 Kentucky to within 10 points at Rupp Arena.

Sam Houston ranks immediately behind St. John’s of the Big East and Weber State of the Big Sky. Ranked behind the Kats are Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, Northwestern and Notre Dame.

RPI is an important figure used for selection to the NCAA tournament since it reflects a team’s overall record and strength of schedule.

Sam Houston’s highest final season RPI in its 23 years at the NCAA Division I level was No. 91 in 2003, the year the Bearkats last won the Southland Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

With 16 victories and six more regular-season games to play, Sam Houston is zeroing in on its fourth 20-victory season in the last five seasons.

The Bearkats plays two road games this week at Lamar on Wednesday and at Texas-San Antonio on Saturday before returning home to face McNeese State on Feb. 24.

Out of the 317 teams in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, only 66 universities have posted 20 or more wins three of the last four seasons.

Following the regular season, the top eight teams in the conference will meet at Merrell Center in Katy for the annual Southland Conference tournament March 10-13 to decide the league’s automatic NCAA tournament representative. Sam Houston is the only team in the league so far that has already clinched a berth in the conference tournament.

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SHSU Sports
  • 7-29-willie-fritz-interview.jpg Time to crank it up

    Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz knew coming into the season that he was going to have his hands full turning around the Bearkats’ football program.
    The rest of the coaches in the Southland Conference apparently agree.
    Coming off a 5-6 season, a fifth-place finish in league play and the loss of 15 starters, Sam Houston State has been tabbed to finish seventh in the SLC preseason coaches’ poll, which was announced Wednesday during the Southland Conference Football Media Day at the L’Auberge du Lac Resort.

    July 28, 2010 1 Photo

  • Pitching dominates Triple-A All-Star Game

    Like the Major League All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif., pitchers dominated the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday in Allentown, Pa.

    July 14, 2010

  • 7-11-Dustin-Martin.jpg Almost there

    After years of toiling in the minor leagues, Dustin Martin can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
    Rising through the ranks of the minor league system all the way from Rookie League, the former Sam Houston outfielder is playing some of his best baseball these days and will play in Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star Game in Allentown Pa., which will be televised at 6 p.m. on the MLB Network.

    July 10, 2010 1 Photo

  • Gallant shining again in Cape Cod League

    Maybe, just maybe, on the mound closing games is where Dallas Gallant needs to be if he’s going to make a name for himself.
    For the second summer in a row, the Sam Houston State pitcher has performed marvelously when he finishes games for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, a member of the distinguished Cape Cod Baseball League.

    July 9, 2010

  • Bearkats enjoy banner year in classroom

    With the release of grade point averages for the more than 400 Bearkats participating in varsity sports, plus the announcement by the Southland Conference office of the annual Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, the 2009-10 season goes in the books as another banner academic year for Sam Houston State University.

    June 25, 2010

  • Belcher, Vilardi golf tournaments help rival football programs

    Golfers in the Huntsville area can help the football programs at both Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin, two longtime rivals that soon will be adding new excitement to their annual “Battle of the Piney Woods” when they kick off this fall at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

    June 17, 2010

  • Kelly ready for NCAA golf regional

    When Sam Houston’s Scott Kelly tees off Thursday in the NCAA South Central Regional men’s golf tournament, his goal will be simple. He wants to become the first Bearkat golfer to earn a spot in the national tournament.
    “As an at-large entry, it’s difficult to advance but it’s not out of the question,” Kelly said. “I’m going into the tournament with high expectations and will give it my best shot.”

    May 19, 2010

  • Dreaming about a trip to state Dreaming big

    His mind has been working overtime. Huntsville senior Quenntin Tucker has spent the past two weeks preparing for the Class 4A Region III track meet.
    Tucker practices the discus by day, then dreams about it at night. Physically and mentally, he’s ready for the big meet.
    “I had a dream about this,” Tucker said last week during a short break from practice. “In the dream I finished second in our region, then I finished second at state.
    “I woke up that morning smiling.”

    May 1, 2010 1 Photo

  • Hot hitter Same old story

    The Bearkats must’ve felt as if they had a little bit of déjà vu.
    For the second straight Saturday, the Bearkats used a monster inning to climb out of a huge hole only to see it slip away.
    This time, it was Stephen F. Austin, which rallied for five runs in the final two innings and held off Sam Houston for a 14-13 win.

    May 1, 2010 1 Photo

  • What a catch! UCA has Bearkat softball team on ropes

    The Bearkats saw the light dim on their Southland Conference tournament aspirations Saturday afternoon.
    Desperately in need of a series win to gain ground in the chase for the sixth and final seed, the Sam Houston State softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Central Arkansas.

    May 1, 2010 1 Photo