HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS – The Southland Conference men's basketball schedule begins on Saturday for the University of the Incarnate Word and Sam Houston State at the Johnson Coliseum with tip-off scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

The game features two teams that each have a strong non-conference record.  The Cardinals have started the season 8-2 despite playing their last five games on the road while the Bearkats are 8-4 that includes close losses to UNLV, Texas A&M and LSU.  UIW has the best record in the Southland and was picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll while the Bearkats have the third best record in the conference and were picked to finish third.

Last year, the Cardinals knocked off the Bearkats, 85-74 at the McDermott Center in a game that was part of the Southland TV schedule.  In that contest, Denzel Livingston (Houston/Waltrip HS) led the Cardinals to the win with 20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

UIW is one of the top scoring teams in the country this year with 83.0 points per game and they are allowing 74.5 points per game.  Livingston leads the team with 21.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.  Jontrell Walker (Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) is the top scoring freshman in the nation with 18.8 points per contest and he has made 23 three-pointers.  Kyle Hittle (New Braunfels/New Braunfels HS) chips in with 13.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6 percent from three-point range.

Sam Houston State is outscoring their opponents by 18.3 points per game and holds the opposition to 59.6 points per game.  Kaheem Ransom leads the squad with 10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game and was a preseason second team all-Southland selection.  DeMarcus Gatlin is scoring 10.6 points per game while Jabari Peters was a preseason first team all-conference pick.
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