Lumberjacks Wrap Up Regular Season at Sam Houston
3/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 3, 2006
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - With its back against the wall, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack basketball team won each of its last two games to clinch a spot in the Southland Conference postseason tournament. SFA's 73-57 win over Louisiana-Monroe Wednesday guaranteed the Lumberjacks no worse than a No. 6 seed in the eight-team tournament, but SFA could potentially improve its standing with a win against Sam Houston State in Saturday's season finale. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. from Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville. With a win and some help from one or more of the three teams currently tied for third place (McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana and Lamar), the Lumberjacks (15-11, 8-7) could earn as high as a fourth seed, which would give SFA a home game in the tournament's first round.
LAST GAME: The Lumberjack seniors teamed with the potential Southland Conference Freshman of the Year to knock off Louisiana-Monroe, 73-57, in a must-win home game Wednesday night. Seniors Marcus Clark and Anthony Paez put up 10 assists and 25 points, respectively, on senior night. Freshman Josh Alexander continued his impressive rookie campaign by scoring a career-high 27 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, also a career-high.
VS. SAM HOUSTON STATE: The Lumberjacks lead the all-time series against Sam Houston State with a 95-84 record. Under head coach Danny Kaspar, SFA is 3-7 in regular-season games against the Bearkats. The Lumberjacks are 1-4 in the regular season under Kaspar at Sam Houston's Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. Sam Houston swept the season series from SFA last season.
THE BEARKATS: Sam Houston State comes into Saturday's game with a 20-7 overall record and an 11-4 Southland Conference mark. The Bearkats are coming off an 80-76 win at Texas-Arlington that locked up second place in the SLC. Sam Houston State has won three straight games and six of its last seven.
THE COACHES: Danny Kaspar is in his sixth season as head coach of the Lumberjacks. Including a nine-year stint as head coach at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Kaspar is 310-127 (.709) over his 14-year coaching career. Kaspar has guided the Lumberjacks to a 91-75 (.548) mark during his tenure. Sam Houston head coach Bob Marlin is 259-126 (.673) in his 13th season as a head coach. He is 136-91 (.599) in eight years at Sam Houston.
UP NEXT: The Lumberjacks will open play in the Southland Conference postseason tournament. The site and opponent will be determined after seeding is completed at the end of the regular season.
NOTE: For complete game notes, click on the "Weekly Release" link in the side bar of the men's basketball home page.
- SFA - TM
