I expect SFA to win, but barely. Turnover troubles will keep us from putting HBU away.
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Stephen F. Austin Basketball
Gameday Predictions: Houston Baptist at Stephen F. Austin
Finally - games that count are upon us. The Southland Conference season tips off for Stephen F. Austin at William R. Johnson Coliseum for a New Years Eve showdown with 1-0 Houston Baptist.
The Huskies just came from Huntsville where they made a mockery out of league preseason favorite Sam Houston State. HBU may not be an elite defensive team but they can certainly play physical basketball. Now their sights are set on SFA - and we get to see how the Lumberjacks respond.
Have a prediction to add? Join the discussion at the bottom of this page.
THE GAME: Houston Baptist vs. Stephen F. Austin
THE TIME: 4:00CT
THE LOCATION: William R. Johnson Coliseum
THE BROADCAST: ESPN3 (or WatchESPN App), Lumberjacks Sports Network radio (Q107.7 in Nacogdoches, TuneIn App)
Isaac Niedrauer: This Houston Baptist team, like their SFA counterpart, remains mostly a mystery entering conference play. The Huskies' victory over Sam Houston State on Thursday night represented only their second DI victory of the season - and yet it was convincing enough to put the SLC on notice.
The Huskies have played some decent games and some terrible ones. A single-digit loss to a very good Northwestern team to close the non-conference season certainly turned a few heads - but nothing like their dominant showing in Huntsville.
SFA is a week removed from one of their best overall showings in a loss to Utah. That game followed a couple trashcan performances in a close victory over Southern Miss and a beat down at the hands of Tulsa. Maybe most notably though, is that barring a surprise, Saturday's affair with HBU will represent just the second game (first since the opener at Kentucky) that SFA will play both TJ Holyfield and Ty Charles in the same game.
I expect a close affair against a very underrated HBU team. I also expect Ty Charles to be the difference in this one. A nail biter turns into a 7-point SFA victory after free throws in the final minute.
Final Score: 60-67 Stephen F. Austin
Jake Rhodes: As someone who has followed HBU closely most of the season, I saw nothing that prepared me for what happened in Huntsville on Thursday night. I had picked the Huskies to finish as one of the bottom teams in the Southland Conference and Sam Houston as my top contender.
So today, do I think HBU is actually is good and Sam isn't? No and no. This was a case of a good team overlooking an inferior opponent.
The conference is now on notice. I expect SFA to learn from the Bearkats and come out strong. Give me SFA by 10.
Final Score: 60-70 Stephen F. Austin
Austin Fenoglio: I'll put it this way: I have maintained my prediction that SFA will win the SLC title this season. I will retract that assessment if the Lumberjacks drop this one today to HBU.
The way I see it, until proven otherwise, HBU beating Sam Houston State only shows how overrated the Bearkats have been all season. Jason Hooten's team hasn't played a lot of notables aside from Baylor and Arkansas - games they lost by a combined 68 points.
I expect SFA to be tested during this conference season. I don't expect that today.
Final Score: 55-72 Stephen F. Austin
The Huskies just came from Huntsville where they made a mockery out of league preseason favorite Sam Houston State. HBU may not be an elite defensive team but they can certainly play physical basketball. Now their sights are set on SFA - and we get to see how the Lumberjacks respond.
Have a prediction to add? Join the discussion at the bottom of this page.
THE GAME: Houston Baptist vs. Stephen F. Austin
THE TIME: 4:00CT
THE LOCATION: William R. Johnson Coliseum
THE BROADCAST: ESPN3 (or WatchESPN App), Lumberjacks Sports Network radio (Q107.7 in Nacogdoches, TuneIn App)
Isaac Niedrauer: This Houston Baptist team, like their SFA counterpart, remains mostly a mystery entering conference play. The Huskies' victory over Sam Houston State on Thursday night represented only their second DI victory of the season - and yet it was convincing enough to put the SLC on notice.
The Huskies have played some decent games and some terrible ones. A single-digit loss to a very good Northwestern team to close the non-conference season certainly turned a few heads - but nothing like their dominant showing in Huntsville.
SFA is a week removed from one of their best overall showings in a loss to Utah. That game followed a couple trashcan performances in a close victory over Southern Miss and a beat down at the hands of Tulsa. Maybe most notably though, is that barring a surprise, Saturday's affair with HBU will represent just the second game (first since the opener at Kentucky) that SFA will play both TJ Holyfield and Ty Charles in the same game.
I expect a close affair against a very underrated HBU team. I also expect Ty Charles to be the difference in this one. A nail biter turns into a 7-point SFA victory after free throws in the final minute.
Final Score: 60-67 Stephen F. Austin
Jake Rhodes: As someone who has followed HBU closely most of the season, I saw nothing that prepared me for what happened in Huntsville on Thursday night. I had picked the Huskies to finish as one of the bottom teams in the Southland Conference and Sam Houston as my top contender.
So today, do I think HBU is actually is good and Sam isn't? No and no. This was a case of a good team overlooking an inferior opponent.
The conference is now on notice. I expect SFA to learn from the Bearkats and come out strong. Give me SFA by 10.
Final Score: 60-70 Stephen F. Austin
Austin Fenoglio: I'll put it this way: I have maintained my prediction that SFA will win the SLC title this season. I will retract that assessment if the Lumberjacks drop this one today to HBU.
The way I see it, until proven otherwise, HBU beating Sam Houston State only shows how overrated the Bearkats have been all season. Jason Hooten's team hasn't played a lot of notables aside from Baylor and Arkansas - games they lost by a combined 68 points.
I expect SFA to be tested during this conference season. I don't expect that today.
Final Score: 55-72 Stephen F. Austin
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