SFA (11-8, 4-3) vs. Sam Houston (13-8, 8-0)
WHEN: FEB. 2 (SAT) 7:00 P.M.
WHERE: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum (Huntsville, TX)
WATCH: ESPN3
An exciting pair of midweek matchups have gotten the Lumberjack squad off to their first official winning streak of the year. Over the last 10 days, SFA has knocked off the second and third strongest SLC teams by early record. It's a heart pumping (or stopping) time to be a Jacks fan. Out of a season that has seemed snakebit from the beginning, now many are wondering if there could be hope that the season may turn out. Keller has insisted from the beginning that this team would gel by conference play. After a couple more head-shaking setbacks, he's insisted February would be the true measuring stick for this team.
Well he's right...and now it's February.
What better way to start the new month than by traveling on the road to the undefeated conference leader Sam Houston. I think most would confess surprise that the Bearkats have turned a lackluster 5-8 nonconference slate into a running torrent of victories - most by double figures. Unblemished, with a several game lead on their nearest contender, Hooten's club is starting to believe that they're the class of the SLC this year - and who can blame them?
Sam has eight players averaging over 15 minutes played a game and none over 30. The have three players that are barely averaging more than 10 points per game but are outscoring their SLC opponents by an average of 11(!) points per game. (SFA by contrast is outscoring SLC opponents by 0.1 ppg) Our bitter rival is dominating the league not by star power but by a traditional SFA hallmark - depth and team play. Every team stat is good - not great, not bad, but good. Decent three point shooting team, but not lights out. Decent free throw shooting, but not unflappable. Good rebounding, good foul control, good defense. Not turning over the ball is probably their strongest quality. Sam is playing like a consummate team. How can SFA match up with that?
For 15 or 16 games, the Jacks have struggled for an identity. But with their backs to the wall and pride on the line, the heart of this team has started to pump pure fire. It hasn't resulted in domination, but it has pulled off two of the gutsiest wins this season. It's given us a vision of what we can be - of what we want to achieve. No, it's made us know that we will have what we want, and it's there for the taking.
What do we have that Sam doesn't? Fire.
We're going to Huntsville on Saturday to burn down the dreams of this team that thinks they are going through the first half of the season undefeated. We're going there with a sea of purple, and we're going to unload our frustration of the first part of this season out on that court. It's February, and we're here to win.
WHEN: FEB. 2 (SAT) 7:00 P.M.
WHERE: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum (Huntsville, TX)
WATCH: ESPN3
An exciting pair of midweek matchups have gotten the Lumberjack squad off to their first official winning streak of the year. Over the last 10 days, SFA has knocked off the second and third strongest SLC teams by early record. It's a heart pumping (or stopping) time to be a Jacks fan. Out of a season that has seemed snakebit from the beginning, now many are wondering if there could be hope that the season may turn out. Keller has insisted from the beginning that this team would gel by conference play. After a couple more head-shaking setbacks, he's insisted February would be the true measuring stick for this team.
Well he's right...and now it's February.
What better way to start the new month than by traveling on the road to the undefeated conference leader Sam Houston. I think most would confess surprise that the Bearkats have turned a lackluster 5-8 nonconference slate into a running torrent of victories - most by double figures. Unblemished, with a several game lead on their nearest contender, Hooten's club is starting to believe that they're the class of the SLC this year - and who can blame them?
Sam has eight players averaging over 15 minutes played a game and none over 30. The have three players that are barely averaging more than 10 points per game but are outscoring their SLC opponents by an average of 11(!) points per game. (SFA by contrast is outscoring SLC opponents by 0.1 ppg) Our bitter rival is dominating the league not by star power but by a traditional SFA hallmark - depth and team play. Every team stat is good - not great, not bad, but good. Decent three point shooting team, but not lights out. Decent free throw shooting, but not unflappable. Good rebounding, good foul control, good defense. Not turning over the ball is probably their strongest quality. Sam is playing like a consummate team. How can SFA match up with that?
For 15 or 16 games, the Jacks have struggled for an identity. But with their backs to the wall and pride on the line, the heart of this team has started to pump pure fire. It hasn't resulted in domination, but it has pulled off two of the gutsiest wins this season. It's given us a vision of what we can be - of what we want to achieve. No, it's made us know that we will have what we want, and it's there for the taking.
What do we have that Sam doesn't? Fire.
We're going to Huntsville on Saturday to burn down the dreams of this team that thinks they are going through the first half of the season undefeated. We're going there with a sea of purple, and we're going to unload our frustration of the first part of this season out on that court. It's February, and we're here to win.
Ryan
Kinnaird Guitars
Kinnaird Guitars
