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February 2, 2010

‘We will get their best shot’

Kats look to stay unbeaten in SLC play against struggling UTSA Roadrunners

By Cody Stark

When Southland Conference action tipped off a few weeks ago, there wasn’t any team in the league hotter than Texas-San Antonio.

The Roadrunners had won six of their last eight games, then started SLC play with wins over McNeese State and Nicholls. But recently, UTSA has hit some bumps in the road and have lost four in a row heading into today’s 7 p.m. matchup against Sam Houston State at Johnson Coliseum.

“They got off to a good nonconference record at 10-3, then they have had some adversity within their team,” Bearkats head coach Bob Marlin said Tuesday. “They have been in some games until the end and have lost a couple of home games when they were right there. They are certainly capable of coming in here and winning.”

The Roadrunners (2-4 in SLC, 12-7 overall) are dangerous despite their record. UTSA has three guards averaging double figures in scoring.

Senior Morris Smith leads the team with 13.2 points per game. Junior Devin Gibson is close behind (12.8 points) followed by senior Omar Johnson (10.7).

Senior forward Terry Fields leads the Roadrunners in rebounds (6.2) and is averaging 9.9 points per contest.

“Their three perimeter players have really been playing solid for them,” Marlin added. “They are playing Fields and (Demarco) Stepter inside. Fields has really been shooting the (3-pointer) well. They are a little bit shorthanded. Their depth has taken a hit.

“But we will get their best shot. It doesn’t matter if they have gone through some adversity, we will get their best shot.”

The Bearkats (6-0, 14-5) have gone in the opposite direction. Sam Houston lost its final two nonconference games, but have since turned things around.

The Kats have won six straight, including a key come-from-behind victory at Texas A&M-Corpus; Christi on Saturday between the only two unbeaten teams in SLC action.

But the Roadrunners have something to build off of coming into tonight’s game. UTSA upset Sam Houston in the opening round of the Southland Conference tournament last season.

That could also be an incentive for the Bearkats, who would like to avenge that 83-74 setback in Katy last March.

“They are excited about the opportunity to play,” Marlin said. “Obviously they were disappointed about last year. We had won 12 out of 15, then lost that game in the tournament. It was kind of sudden. We thought we had a chance to win the thing, but San Antonio beat us.”

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