Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

Jabari Peters scored 16 points to lead Sam Houston as the Bearkats defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 75-49 in the opening round of the Corpus Christi Islander Classic Friday afternoon.

James Thomas and Kaheem Ransom also scored in double figures for the Kats with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Ransom also pulled down seven rebounds and assisted on five baskets.

The victory upped Sam Houston to 5-2 for the year. Arkansas-Pine Bluff dropped to 2-5.

The two teams were tied four times during a close first half, the last time at 23-23 with 1:56 remaining in the period.

A three-pointer by Paul Baxter started a 10-2 run for the Bearkats that put Sam Houston up 42-33 at intermission.

UAPB cut the margin to four points, 35-31, a minute-and-a-half into the second half, but could come no closer.

Sam Houston outscored their opponents 42-24 in the final 20 minutes.

Success at the free throw line played a big part in the Bearkats’ 26-point margin of victory.

With 52 fouls whistled in the contest, Sam Houston hit 24-of-37 at the charity stripe (64.9 percent) while Arkansas-Pine Bluff sank only 17-of-25 free throws.

Sam Houston out-rebounded UAPB 33-28 and shot 51.2 percent from the field (21-of-41).

Ghiavonni Robinson lead Pine Bluff with 16 points.

Sam Houston advances to the finals of the Corpus Christi tournament at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

Kansas City, Mo. – Nyha Carter hit two free throws with seven seconds remaining for the winning points as the Sam Houston women extended their winning streak to five with a 78-76 victory over Missouri-Kansas City Friday afternoon.

The victory came in the first game of the UMKC Classic.

Sam Houston upped its season record to 5-2 while Kansas City remains winless at 0-6.

The Bearkat women led by 17 points, 72-55, with 6:05 to play after a pair of free throws by Maggie Lorenz.

Kim Neziankya began a 21-4 run for the Kangaroos with a three-point basket five seconds later.

Neziankya tied the game 76-76 with a layup with 36 seconds remaining.

In between Neziankya’s baskets the Bearkats went 2-for-11 from the field including four misses from beyond the arc.

After Carter’s free throws, Elise O’Connor missed a jumper at the buzzer that allowed Sam Houston to escape with the victory.

Freshman point guard Taylor Dorsey led Sam Houston with 16 points.

Junior post player Angela Beadle scored 15 and pulled down nine rebounds.

Senior guard Jasmine Johnson scored 16 and freshman Kristina Smith added 10 points.

O’Connor led all shooters with 21 points. Nezianya totaled 19 points for UMKC.

After taking a 5-4 lead three minutes into the game, Sam Houston never trailed until the final minute.

The Bearkats, who shot 45 percent from the field in the first half (17-of-38) led at intermission 39-30.

The SHSU women were 15-of-18 at the foul line (83 per cent) and 5-of-20 from three point range.

Sam Houston will play Alabama-Birmingham at 1 p.m. in their second contest at the UMKC Classic.

Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

Sam Houston State returns to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs for the third consecutive year as the Bearkats have been named as one of the 24 teams in the 2013 FCS bracket.

Sam Houston will play host to the Southern Utah State Thunderbirds from Cedar City, Utah, in an opening round game Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium.

Three Southland Conference teams are part of the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana is the No. 4 seed and league runner-up McNeese State is the No. 6 seed.

The winner of the Sam Houston versus Southern Utah game will travel to Hammond, La., to face the Lions on Saturday Dec. 7 in the second round.

McNeese will take on the winner of the Jacksonville State versus Samford matchup in the opening round.

Sam Houston is making its seventh FCS playoffs appearance. The Bearkats reached the national championship finals in both 2011 and 2012 in Frisco.

The Kats were semifinalists in 2004, quarterfinalists in 2001 and lost in the first round in 1986 and 1991.

Sam Houston is 6-0 at home in the FCS playoffs. The Bearkats own the longest current winning streak in FCS football, having won their last 21 contests at Bowers Stadium.

The complete line-up for the opening round Nov. 30:

South Carolina State vs. Furman
Winner faces No. 1 seed North Dakota State

Coastal Carolina vs. Bethune-Cookman
Winner faces No. 8 seed Montana

New Hampshire vs. Lafayette
Winner faces No. 5 seed Maine

SAM HOUSTON vs. Southern Utah
Winner faces No. 4 seed Southeastern Louisiana

Northern Arizona vs. San Diego State
Winner faces No. 3 seed Eastern Washington

Jacksonville State vs. Samford
Winner faces No. 6 seed McNeese State

Fordham vs. Sacred Heart
Winner faces No. 7 seed Towson

Butler vs. Tennessee State
Winner faces No. 2 seed Eastern Washington