Gray Named SLC’s “Defensive Player of The Week”
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Sam Houston junior setter Tayler Gray has been named as Southland Conference volleyball “Defensive Player of the Week” after leading the first place Bearkats to a pair of home victories.
Gray produced her 19th and 20th double double of the season as Sam Houston State earned sweeps against Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State.
The junior from Huntsville, Texas (Huntsville H.S.) averaged 4.5 digs per set over the week while assisting on 71 of Sam Houston’s 90 kills.
She sits second in the Southland with 10.76 assists per set while the Bearkats are on a 13-match win streak which is the longest in Sam Houston history since it joined Division I.
Sam Houston’s Deveney Wells-Gibson took honorable mention honors for Southland “Offensive Player of the Week”.
The Bearkats have three matches remaining in the regular season with two this week at home at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Sam Houston travels to Northwestern State Tuesday night, plays host to McNeese State Thursday, and finishes the season at home against Lamar at 3 p.m.
Bearkats Climbs To No.3 In Both FCS And Coaches Polls
by Cheval John
After dismantling Southeastern Louisiana Lions 70-0, the Bearkat football team have moved up one spot to No.3 in both the Sports Network FCS polls and the Coaches Polls.
The Bearkats have been in the top 25 for 21 straight weeks and have been in the top 10 for 18 straight weeks.
SHSU have an overall record of 7-2 and are currently in second place with a 5-1 in the Southland Conference (SLC).
University of Central Arkansas leads the conference with a 6-1 record and have a bye this week.
They have already claim the title after beating the Demons last Saturday.
The Bearkats have a shot to claim a share of the SLC title this Saturday as they face Northwestern State Demons in Natchitoches.
The game will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network and it’s affiliates at 3 p.m.
Bearkats Cruised To An 92-45 Win In Exhibition Game
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Led by Sequeena Thomas with 15 points and 10 rebounds, the Sam Houston women’s basketball team rolled to a 92-45 exhibition victory over Southwestern University of Georgetown Sunday afternoon.
Thomas was one of four Bearkats in double figures. Chanice Smith added 14 points, Jazmin Wiley 13 and Britni Martin 12.
The Kats never trailed in contest.
Ahead by one, 5-4 at the 18:23 mark, SHSU went on a 12-2 run to go up 17-6 and never led by less than double digits the rest of the way.
Sam Houston led 42-24 at intermission and out-scored the Pirates 50-21 in the second half.
The Bearkats shot an impressive 53.5 percent from the field, hitting 38-of-71 from the floor.
Led by Smith with four treys, the Kats were 7-of-20 from three point range.
Audrey Garcia led Southwestern with 17 points. The Kat defense limited the Pirates to 32.1 percent shooting (18-of-56).
Sam Houston also had the advantage on the boards with 41 rebounds to the visitor’s 36.
Martin assisted on seven Bearkat baskets, blocked two shots and had four steals.
Kaysean Clavelle also was credited with four steals as the defense created 32 Southwestern turnovers.
Sam Houston opens 2012-13 regular season action Friday with their opening round game in the preseason Women’s Basketball Invitational (WNIT) at Delaware.
No.5 Bearkats Dismantled Lions 70-0
by Cheval John
Whether it was rain or shine, the Sam Houston State Bearkat football team came ready to play.
The Bearkats totaled 575 yards of offense in the 70-0 beat down of Southeastern Louisiana Lions in their last regular season home game at Bowers Stadium.
The win increased their streak at Bowers to 14 games since 2010 and have kept them in the hunt for a share of the Southland Conference (SLC) title.
The majority of those yards came on the run, especially in the second half when they ran for 275 yards and scored 28 points without attempting a pass.
The massacre began when running back Tim Flanders ran for a 14-yard touchdown that capped a 7-play, 48-yard drive for a 7-0 lead.
That was only the beginning.
After a three and out by the Lions, the Bearkats (5-1 SLC, 7-2 overall) started their second drive with a 2-yard run by utility man Richard Sincere.
Later, junior quarterback Brian Bell threw it up the middle and wide receiver Chance Nelson dove and made the catch for a 23-yard gain for a first down.
A few plays later, Sincere ran with the blockers and cut to the left for an 8-yard touchdown that increased the lead to 14-0.
The Lions (3-2 SLC play, 3-6 overall) had their best chance of the day to score when they drove it down the field to the Bearkat 21 yard line.
After a five-yard penalty that moved them back to the 26, defensive back Robert Shaw blocked the potential field goal and defensive back Kenneth Jenkins recovered it and took it 72-yards for the touchdown that increased the lead to 21-0.
Jarrett Brown’s interception on the Lions 34 put the Bearkats in great field position.
It seemed as if the Bearkats were going to settle for a field goal as they were only moved 7-yards on three plays.
But an offside penalty on the Lions on 4 and 3 allowed the drive to stay alive and a few plays later, junior running back Ryan Wilson went up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown that increased the lead to 28-0.
The Bearkats added two more scores on a 70-yard touchdown pass from Bell to Nelson and a 23-yard pass from Bell to wide receiver Torrance Williams to increase the lead to 42-0 by halftime.
After an hour lighting/rain delay, the Bearkats got back to it as Flanders found a seam and exploded for 71-yards for the score that made it 49-0.
They added three more scores on a touchdown run by freshman quarterback Chris Grett and two TD runs by sophomore running back Keyshawn Hill (8, 55) that sealed the deal at 70-0.
Flanders finished with 146-yards and two scores on 9 carries while Bell went 8 of 9 for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Hill totaled 132 yards and two scores on 15 carries.
The Bearkats finishes SLC play on Saturday when they go on the road against Northwestern State Demons.
If the Bearkats win against the Demons, they will have a share of the SLC title with Central Arkansas.
The start time for the game was moved to 3 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. due to the fact that it will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network.
Bearkat Volleyball Team Wins 13th Straight Game
by Cheval John
The Sam Houston State Bearkat volleyball team extends their winning streak to 13 games as they swept Nicholls State Colonels 25-21, 25-13, 25-16.
The win streak is the longest since the Bearkats moved up to the NCAA Division I in 1986.
Three Bearkats (13-2 SLC play, 18-9 overall) totaled double-digit kills; senior outside hitter Kendall Cleveland (13), senior outside hitter Kaylee Hawkins (12) and sophomore outside hitter Devene Wells-Gibson (11).
Both teams fought tooth and nail early in the first set as they were five ties and two lead changes.
With the Colonels (5-12 SLC play, 10-18 overall) leading 14-9, the Bearkats scored the next eight out of ten points to take a 17-16 lead and went on to win the first set 25-21.
It seemed as if the second set was going to be the same as both teams traded a total of six points to open it at 3.
Then the Bearkats exploded for 9 straight points to lead it 12-3 and cruised to a 25-13 win.
They kept up the momentum in the third set as they scored the first six of the seven points on a kill and three service aces by Wells-Gibson and a kill by Hawkins.
They continued to dominate the Colonels as with their defense that allowed them to extend their lead and eventually take the third set and the match.
Setter Tayler Gray had 37 assists and 20 digs.
The Bearkats go on the road on Tuesday as they face Northwestern State.