“We were one game away from going to the NCAA tournament last year but lost to Stephen F. Austin in the finals,” Hooten said. “These guys came back this fall focused from day one at the task in hand. They didn’t need to have some ‘rah-rah’ speech in the locker room. They have a goal and are ready to go out and get the job done.”

Nine lettermen including four starters return from last year’s team that rolled up 24 victories (one short of the school record for wins in an NCAA Division I season). That squad finished third in the regular season and won two playoff games to reach the finals at the Southland tournament in Katy.

After the loss to the Jacks in the finals, the Kats earned an invitation to the CollegeInsider.Com post-season event. Sam Houston defeated Alabama State in the first round, the program’s first NCAA post-season victory in 27 years of Division I play.


CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE LATEST NEWS ON THE 2014-15 BEARKATS