Game Day Essentials:
Sam Houston (4-4) vs. Indiana (5-2)
- Tip Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern, Tuesday
- Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222)
- Television: BTN (Jeff Levering, Brian Butch)
- Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
- Stream: Fox Sports
- Point Spread: Indiana is a 13.5-point favorite
- KenPom Projected Score: Indiana 83 Sam Houston 71
- History: Indiana leads the series, 1-0.
- Last Meeting: IU 99, SHSU 45 on Nov. 15, 2012 in Bloomington
- Tickets (via our StubHub affiliate link)
Sam Houston’s Chris Mudge
Chris Mudge is serving his first head coaching stint of his career and is in his second year at the helm of the Sam Houston men’s basketball team.
Mudge served as a student manager and a graduate assistant for Rick Barnes at Texas from 2002 to 2008. Mudge got his first assistant coaching job with Midland College at the junior college up until 2010, where he joined Sam Houston’s staff. Mudge was named an assistant for the current New Mexico State head coach Jason Hooten, and helped coach the Bearkats to two NIT appearances and a conference championship under Hooten.
Mudge was named head coach of the Bearkats on April 3, 2023, and had a successful first season. Sam Houston went 21-12 in Mudge’s first season and finished with a 13-3 record and finished first in Conference USA. Mudge was awarded the C-USA Coach of the Year award following the season.
Sam Houston’s results and roster:
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/4/2024 | at Nevada | Reno, Nev. | L 75-91 |
| 11/9/2024 | at Tarleton | Stephenville, Texas | W 91-62 |
| 11/12/2024 | at Baylor | Waco, Texas | L 67-104 |
| 11/17/2024 | at Lamar | Beaumont, Texas | W 85-72 |
| 11/21/2024 | Trinity (TX) | Huntsville, Texas | W 105-78 |
| 11/27/2024 | vs Appalachian State (Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic) | Wilmington, N.C. | L 63-66 |
| 11/29/2024 | vs UNCW (Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic) | Wilmington, N.C. | L 60-69 |
| 11/30/2024 | vs Colgate (Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic) | Wilmington, N.C. | W 82-78 |
(via Sam Houston Athletics)
KATS GO 1-2 AT LIVE OAK BANK HOLIDAY CLASSIC
Sam Houston finished the Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic at Trask Coliseum in Wilmington, N.C. with a 1-2 mark in a field that consisted of Appalachian State, Colgate and host UNCW. The Kats lost a heartbreaker 66-63 in the opener to the Mountaineers that saw starting point guard Marcus Boykin get injured, causing him to miss the final two games of the event.
KATS VS POWER 4 OPPONENTS AND THE TOP 25
The Kats are 2-4 against Power 4 schools the past three seasons following the loss to No. 12 Baylor. Sam Houston upset Oklahoma 52-51 in the opener of the 2022-23 season in Norman, topped Utah 65-55 on Nov. 15, 2022 in Salt Lake City and lost 65-51 at Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Dec. 6, 2022. Last season, Sam Houston lost at Arizona State 78-61 and at Texas Tech 96-60. The Kats have also never defeated ranked in the top 25 of the polls.
KATS RELOAD WITH TRANSFERS
Sam Houston lost eight players from last season including second-team All-CUSA selection Davon Barnes and starters Souleymayne Doumbia and backup point guard Jaden Ray. The Kats have brought in 6-11 forward Kalifa Sakho from Utah State, Dorian Finister from Kansas State, Josiah Hammons from UIW and Brennen Burns from Southeastern Oklahoma to add experience to the roster.
KATS WIN CUSA TITLE IN INAUGURAL SEASON
Sam Houston locked down the Conference USA regular season championship with a 13-3 record in the program’s first season as a new member of the league in 2023-24. Under first-year head coach Chris Mudge, the Bearkats posted back-to-back 20 win seasons and were the top seed in consecutive postseason tournaments (2023 WAC, 2024 CUSA). It was the fifth regular season championship for Sam Houston, which won the Southland Conference in 1999-20, 2002-03, 2009-10 and 2018-19.
ALL-CONFERENCE KATS
• Lamar Wilkerson was named an All-CUSA first team selection. The junior guard averaged a team-high 13.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game and has been the focal point of the Kats offense. Wilkerson started conference play scoring 20 points four straight times and nailed seven straight 3-pointers in Sam Houston’s win at New Mexico State.
Sam Houston’s KenPom notable numbers:
(out of 364 teams)
Tempo – No. 126 (Offense No. 113 / Defense No. 305)
Offensive Efficiency – No. 103
- Their 39.9% make rate from three is No. 15 in the country.
- But their three-point attempt rate (3FGA/FGA) is just No. 231
- Sam Houston only shoots 46.9% from two, No. 281
- The Bearkats turn it over on 18.5% of possessions which is No. 225
- They get offensive rebounds on 34.6% of misses, No. 68.
Defensive Efficiency – No. 196
- SHSU allows one of the highest offensive rebound rates in the nation — 38%, No. 350.
- They force a high turnover rate, 21%, No. 62.
- Teams are making both twos (55.5%, No. 294) and threes (36.8%, No. 316) at a high rate against Sam Houston.
OG’s Pick:
Win/Loss Prediction: 4-1
Perfect Predictions: 0
Following Indiana’s showing at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, it’s hard to imagine the Hoosiers being a clear pick for the rest of the season.
Sam Houston is one of the better shooting teams in the country with a 39.9 percent clip from outside. Indiana has some strength defending the three, but as we saw with Louisville, any high-volume team can easily take advantage.
However, I do think Indiana will bounce back at home. Kanaan Carlyle’s will not be available, but Galloway’s play against Providence was a bright spot, and he should fill in well if he can continue to improve in each game.
PICK: Indiana 85 – Sam Houston 71
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