Can the Bearkats Claw Their Way to Victory at Louisiana Tech?
As the Sam Houston State Bearkats prepare to face off against the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters, fans are eager to see if their team can bounce back from a recent string of challenging games. The Bearkats' performance has been a rollercoaster, with their last game on December 30th against the Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros ending in a 58-66 defeat. Despite this setback, there are elements within their gameplay that suggest potential for redemption.
In that home game, the Bearkats showed strength in rebounding with a total of 41 rebounds compared to Vaqueros' 32. However, turnovers were a significant issue for SHSU as they gave up possession an alarming 25 times. This is an area where they must tighten up if they hope to outplay Louisiana Tech. Additionally, shooting accuracy was not at its best; while two-point shots were sunk at a rate of 54 percent, three-point attempts had only a 17 percent success rate and free throws were made only half of the time.
Looking back further into December reveals more about SHSU's capabilities and areas for improvement. On December 21st against Utah Valley Wolverines in an overtime thriller that ended in a narrow loss (69-73), SHSU displayed tenacity by forcing overtime after trailing behind. They excelled at free throw accuracy with an impressive rate of 82 percent but struggled from both two-point range (26 percent) and beyond the arc (19 percent). Turnovers continued to plague them with another high count of 26.
Earlier on December 19th versus SMU Mustangs, another loss was recorded (64-69), yet it highlighted some consistency in certain aspects such as steals per game averaging around ten across these matches and maintaining decent offensive rebound numbers.
The upcoming match presents an opportunity for SHSU to capitalize on their strengths while addressing weaknesses head-on. The Lady Techsters will be no easy opponent; thus focusing on reducing turnovers and improving shot selection is crucial for SHSU's success.
Fans should expect Coach Brenda Nichols to have emphasized ball security and shot efficiency during practices leading up to this encounter. A victory will require collective effort from key players who can control the pace and make smart plays under pressure – something which has been seen in flashes but needs consistency throughout four quarters.
The scheduled clash between Sam Houston State Bearkats and Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters is set for January 6th at Thomas Assembly Center located in Ruston, LA starting at sharp 2:00 PM local time (-06:00 UTC). Supporters unable or unwilling to travel can catch live action through official broadcast channels or follow play-by-play updates online as these determined teams battle it out on court.