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November 18, 2009

Three years after scaring No. 1 UCLA, Kats hope to do even better at fifth-ranked Kentucky

By Cody Stark The Huntsville Item Wed Nov 18, 2009, 09:01 PM CST

UCLA probably figured it wasn’t going to have much trouble when Sam Houston State came to Pauley Pavillion on Dec. 19, 2006.

The Bruins were ranked No. 1 in the nation, were 9-0 and were coming off a season that saw them play for the national championship. But the scrappy Bearkats had other ideas.

Sam Houston State jumped out a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes and were up 14-11 before a 5-0 run put UCLA on top for good. The Bearkats didn’t go away and turned a 40-29 deficit into a four-point game with an 11-4 run in the second half.

UCLA was able to pull away for a 75-61 victory, but it wasn’t easy.

The Bearkats have another chance to pull off the big-time upset that eluded them three years ago when, once again, they battle one of the nation’s most historic programs in a legendary building.

Sam Houston faces the No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats, the winningest program in college basketball history (1,990 wins), at 6 tonight in Rupp Arena as part of the 2009 Cancun Classic.

“It is an outstanding opportunity for our program to play the winningest college basketball program of all time,” Bearkats head coach Bob Marlin said Tuesday. “I was telling Ashton (Mitchell) earlier that he got to play in Pauley Pavillion against the number one team in the country, who has won more national championships than any other team. He got to play against the winningest college basketball coach of all time in Bobby Knight, and now he gets to play at the winningest program of all time.

“It’s the trifecta for Ashton, but it is certainly a great opportunity for our team.”

The Bearkats (2-0) have been impressive in their first two games this season, though, LeTourneau and Texas College are a far cry from the challenge of taking on the Wildcats (2-0), new head coach John Calipari, All-American Patrick Patterson and super freshman John Wall.

But Kentucky hasn’t exactly been rolling. The Wildcats had to get a buzzer-beating jumper from Wall to knock off Miami of Ohio 72-70 on Monday night in Lexington, Ky.

Sam Houston has been lights out defensively, and the offense hasn’t been to shabby either. The Bearkats are holding opponents to 27 percent shooting, while hitting at a 52 percent rate.

Junior forward Gilberto Clavell leads SHSU in scoring at 15 points a game, closely followed by senior guards Corey Allmond (14) and Mitchell (10).

It’s still early, but the Kats also seem to have found multiple inside threats. Aside from Clavell, forwards Arthur Zulu and Antuan Bootle both average 6.5 points a game, not to mention senior Preston Brown, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, who scored seven in the season opener.

“Our guys have played well and they are stepping up. Unfortunately Preston Brown, who is our Patrick Patterson and does things for us that he does for Kentucky, got hurt in the opener and is doubtful,” Marlin said. “That’s a concern. But our guys have battled and I’m pleased with how they have been playing.”

Sam Houston is also outrebounding opponents 90-65 and has 13 blocks. But Kentucky’s frontcourt is nothing like what the Bearkats have seen so far.

Patterson is the preseason Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. The 6-foot-9 junior is averaging 18.5 points and 11 rebounds a game.

Kentucky also has a pair of talented freshmen posts. DeMarcus Cousins (6-11) is averaging 8.5 points and seven boards, while Daniel Orton (6-10) averages five points and 3.5 rebounds.

“We have to rebound the basketball,” Marlin stressed. “We played pretty well at UTEP, who plays a similar style as Kentucky, last year and should have won. We led for 35 minutes, but lost at the end because we couldn’t rebound the ball. That will be very important in the ballgame.

“We had the size advantage in our first two games, but that role is reversed. They have a lot of height and talent upfront. Our guys will do well in conference, but this is a different challenge for them.”

Bearkat basketball notes

The Cancun Classic features eight NCAA Division I men's basketball teams and will be played today through Nov. 25. There will be eight games played in the United States and eight games played at the Moon Palace Resort, a 5-star all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico.

Cleveland State, Kentucky, Stanford, Virginia, Florida A&M;, Oral Roberts and Rider join the Bearkats in the event.

On Saturday, Sam Houston will travel to Cleveland State for the Kats’ second Classic contest. The following week the Bearkats will head down to Mexico and open with Oral Roberts on Nov. 24. The Kats take on either Florida A&M; or Rider in the finale.

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Upset in the works?

Three years after scaring No. 1 UCLA, Kats hope to do even better at fifth-ranked Kentucky

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