The Sam Houston basketball programs finished their season with a doubleheader matchup against conference rival Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks.
The Sam Houston women’s basketball team fell in the first game of the day 69-57 to the Ladyjacks.
A slow start to the game had the Bearkats in a hole early as they trailed by eight points heading into the second quarter. The Bearkats would be unable to come back from this deficit and fall in their final regular-season game.
Senior guard Faith Cook would lead the way scoring for the team with 15. Junior forward Amber Leggett would follow closely behind with 14.
The women’s team finishes the season with a conference record of 9-5. This record gives them third place in the conference as the Ladyjacks finished in first, with the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions finishing behind them at second.
The Bearkats will play their first game of the tournament Friday, March 12, pending the result of the first two rounds’ results. The women’s side of the tournament is set to begin Wednesday, March 10.
The Sam Houston men’s basketball team lost 64-59 after a high-stakes matchup with Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, finishing the season with a 13-3 conference record.
The Lumberjacks opened the first half of the game with a strong show of force, closing out the half with a 9-point lead. Despite a valiant rally by the Bearkats in the second half, they were ultimately unable to catch up to the Lumberjacks.
Several Bearkats had double-digit points on the game, with freshman guard Bryce Monroe leading the pack with a total of 24 points. Monroe, senior guard Demarkus Lampley and junior guard Zach Nutall all scored the Bearkats 3-pointers for the night, with a team total of six.
After the loss, the Sam Houston Bearkats have fallen to the No. 3 seed in the Southland Conference, with the Nicholls State University Colonels and the Abilene Christian University Wildcats taking the first and second seed, respectively.
The Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will begin Tuesday, March 9, at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy. The Bearkats will play Thursday, March 11 at 8 p.m.