MMBOD Feb 15: Chris Jordan - Sam Houston State

The Southland race has devolved into a romp for 10-1 Astyle=font-weight:bold HREF=http://schools.basketballstate.com/NWSU>Northwestern State, so it's easy to forget about the other good team in the league - the one that's hovering just outside the RPI Top 100, the one the was stealing all the headlines at the beginning of the year. Sam State helped precipitate the fall of Quin Snyder with their opening salvo on Missouri back in November, and went on to compile a 9-3 non-conference record. And after a couple of stumbles to Nicholls and McNeese to start the SLC slate, the best-rebounding team in the Southland (34.5 per game) has won eight of nine.

Last night, against honorary league commissioner Billy Tubbs and his Lamar Cardinals, the Bearkats struck again, stealing a three-point decision in Beaumont. The night's first star was the young man pictured to the left, who scored a career-high 30 on blistering 79% shooting, putting him on the school's 1000-point honor roll. The total included a threebie at 2:09 remaining that began the call-and-response that signified the game's final moments. With the win, SHS takes second place in the SLC.