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

Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

HUNTSVILLE – Senior guard Jasmine Johnson scored a career high 31 points and junior center Angela Beadle posted a career best 19 rebounds to lead Sam Houston to an 83-73 non-conference women’s basketball victory over Louisiana-Lafayette Friday afternoon at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

Beadle also scored 14 points.

Jazmin Wiley and Amanda Barnes also were in double figures for the Bearkats, totaling 13 and 12 points, respectively.

The Ragin’ Cajuns were led by Keke Veal with 17 points.

The victory in the home opener for Sam Houston upped the Kats record to 1-2.

Louisiana-Lafayette dropped to 2-1.

The game turned into a free throw fest in the final minutes as the two squads were whistled for a combined 56 fouls.

Johnson was 12-of-17 from the line for the Bearkats.

Sam Houston built a 22 point lead, 57-35, six minutes into the second half after going up 43-33 at intermission.

But the Ragin’ Cajuns came back to cut the margin to seven, 74-67 with 2:33 to play.

The Kats hit seven free throws in the final two minutes to hang on to the victory.