Sam Houston's Late Surge Falls Short at Ocean Bank Convocation Center
The Sam Houston State Bearkats, after a hard-fought battle, succumbed to the Florida International Panthers with a final score of 68-61. The Bearkats' record now stands at 0-1, while the Panthers improve to 1-0.
In an intense conference game at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami, the Sam Houston State Bearkats displayed a commendable effort against their opponents. Despite trailing in the first half with 36 points to Florida International's 26, they could not maintain their lead as they added only 25 points in the second half compared to the Panthers’ surge of 42 points.
The Bearkats showed resilience on defense with three blocks and four steals but were outmatched by Florida International’s eight blocks and nine steals. On offense, Sam Houston struggled from inside the arc with a mere thirty-one percent shooting on two-point attempts but excelled from the free-throw line by making eighty-eight percent of their shots. Their three-point attempts were respectable as well, converting seven out of twenty for thirty-five percent.
Rebounding was a strong suit for Sam Houston as they dominated with fifty-three total rebounds—thirty-two defensive and fifteen offensive—compared to Florida International's thirty-three. This advantage allowed them sixteen second-chance points but it wasn't enough to secure victory.
Turnovers proved costly for Sam Houston; despite committing fewer team turnovers than usual with only two, player turnovers reached fourteen which led to six points off turnovers for them while allowing twenty-one for Florida International. The assists-turnover ratio stood at a lowly point sixty-four indicating room for improvement in ball handling and distribution.
Florida International capitalized on their opportunities better than Sam Houston did throughout this matchup. With seventeen assists reflecting better ball movement and an impressive assist-turnover ratio of three point four, they managed more efficient playmaking which contributed significantly to their win.
Looking ahead after this setback, fans can mark their calendars as the next challenge awaits: The Sam Houston State Bearkats will face off against Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Pete Mathews Coliseum in Jacksonville on February 8th at 6:00 PM Central Time. This upcoming game will be broadcasted live on ESPN+, ensuring fans won’t miss any action from this anticipated encounter.