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HUNTSVILLE, Texas – UIW men's basketball looks to snap their three-game losing streak when the Cardinals play the first of two games against Sam Houston on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 6:15 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
 
OPENING TIP
 
SHSU leads the all-time series, 2-1, and has won the last two contests. The Cardinals won the inaugural meeting, 85-74, in San Antonio on Jan. 23, 2014. Saturday's contest features the two best assist players in the league in SHSU's John Dewey III and UIW's Jalin Hart.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
 
2016-17 Record: 17-8 (8-4 SLC)
Last Game: L 80-76 at Lamar (2/9)
Head Coach: Jason Hooten (5th season)
Key Players:
#3 Dakarai Henderson – 11.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 35 asts, 12 stls
#13 Aurimas Majauskas – 10.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 30 asts, 12 stls, 59.9 FG%
#11 John Dewey III – 9.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 131 asts, 36 stls
Summary: Sam Houston has cooled off as of late, dropping its last two games after having an eight-game winning streak. The Bearkats lost at Lamar, 80-76, Thursday night, despite four Bearkats scoring in double figures.
 
Aurimas Majauskas is 3rd in the SLC with a 59.9 field-goal percentage, while John Dewey III leads the conference with 5.2 assists per game. Jovante' Spivey is 2nd with an 85.1 free-throw percentage. The Bearkats as a team are 2nd in the SLC with a +5.0 scoring margin, as they lead the conference in field-goal percentage defense (42.1).
 
THE CARDINAL FILE
 
2016-17 Record: 10-13 (5-6 SLC)
Last Game: L 87-79 at Stephen F. Austin (2/9)
Head Coach: Ken Burmeister (11th season)
Key Players:
#3 Simi Socks – 16.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 29 asts, 13 blks, 20 stls, 83.5 FT%
#1 Jalin Hart – 15.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 114 asts, 7 blks, 30 stls
#41 Shawn Johnson – 14.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 36 asts, 28 blks, 29 stls, 46.4 FG%, 43.1 3PT%
Summary: Despite a career-high 34 points from Hart, UIW was unable to sweep the season series from SFA, 87-79, Thursday night in Nacogdoches. Hart's final tally were the most in a single game since Denzel Livingston scored 37 at Northwestern State on Jan. 10, 2015. The Cardinals gave up 60 second-half points and, despite keeping both Ivan Canete and Ty Charles scoreless in the first half, the duo finished with 28 points and eight rebounds. The loss was the first for the Cardinals this season when leading at the half.
 
On the season, Simi Socks is 5th in the Southland Conference with 16.0 points per game, followed by Hart (T-6th, 15.7) and Shawn Johnson (10th, 14.7). Hart is 2nd in the conference with 5.0 assists per game, which puts him just outside the top 50 in the nation. Socks' 83.5 free-throw percentage is third-best in the SLC. Johnson is T-3rd with 2.6 three-pointers made in a game, while Jorden Kite is T-13th with 1.6. Devin Wyatt remains 2nd in the SLC with 2.3 blocked shots per game, good for T-27th nationally. As a team, the Cardinals are 2nd in the SLC in scoring offense (77.3 points per game) and 12th in scoring defense (81.1). They lead the conference with a 39.0 three-point field goal percentage and is 11th with a -5.4 rebounding margin.
 
UP NEXT
 
UIW plays the final three home games of the season beginning against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
 
STAY TUNED
 
The Cardinals host the Bearkats on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.
 
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.