Saturday, February 17th, 10:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Save Mart Center (15,596) -- Fresno, California. Television: None. Home Record: SHSU 10-1, FSU 13-3. Away Record: SHSU 6-6, FSU 4-5. Neutral Record: SHSU 2-0, FSU 0-0. Conference Record: SHSU 9-2, FSU 6-6. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Winners of six straight, the Sam Houston State Bearkats get to tangle with the Fresno State Bulldogs tonight as part of the BracketBuster event from the Save Mart Center. On Valentine's Day the Bearkats, who represent the Southland Conference, took out Stephen F. Austin in a 63-51 decision at home. The victory not only moved SHSU to 10-1 in its own building this season but also 9-2 in league play, which means the Bearkats are right up near the top of the SLC standings in the West Division heading into the weekend. As for the Bulldogs, a program representing the Western Athletic Conference, they are taking part in this annual event for the fifth time, although it is also the second time that the team has been left off the nationally-televised schedule for the day. Since WAC play has begun FSU has been unable to find continuity with any aspect of its play, alternating wins and losses over the last eight outings. On Saturday the team topped New Mexico State by a score of 75-69 in this building, but that still leaves the Bulldogs at just 6-6 in conference play. With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, this is the first-ever meeting.

Ryan Bright lit up Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday night as he recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, both of which were team highs, in the squad's 12-point victory at home. Bright added four blocked shots and three assists as well, although he also turned the ball over five times for a team that was charged with 18 miscues on the night. Aaron Wade added 12 points and six boards, Jejuan Plair 11 points and a team-best seven assists. Bright, a 53 percent shooter from the field, leads the program with his 14.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 44 steals and 31 blocked shots, but that still doesn't hide the fact that he is shooting a woeful 49.6 percent at the free-throw line. Because he, along with Wade (12.2 ppg) and Plair (10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) are all shooting less than 66 percent at the free-throw line, the team as a whole is knocking down just 64.4 percent at the stripe over 25 games. Heading into this week the Bearkats were averaging close to 20 assists per game, which had them second in the entire nation behind only top-scoring VMI.

Shooting just 1-of-10 from behind the three-point line and 10-of-22 at the charity stripe in the second half wasn't enough to throw the Bulldogs off their game last weekend as they managed to take out the visiting New Mexico State Aggies. Quinton Hosley posted yet another double-double for the Bulldogs with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Kevin Bell recorded a career-high with 16 points and handed out seven assists as well. Eddie Miller's 4-of-9 shooting beyond the arc led to 14 points, while Dominic McGuire cleared a team-high 11 boards, scored eight points, blocked four shots and handed out four assists in the decision. Hosley continues to be the leading scorer for the program with his 14.4 ppg, but McGuire isn't going anywhere but up with his 13.0 ppg and team-best 9.6 rpg, not to mention 87 blocked shots to rank among the nation's best through 25 games. With Hosley accounting for 8.9 rpg and Hector Hernandez (11.0 ppg) adding another five board per contest, its hard to believe that the Bulldogs are getting beaten on the glass by almost three rebounds per game at the moment.

Sam Houston State may be dominating its own little world in the Southland this season, but playing the Delaware States and the McMurrys of the world are not going to give the Bearkats much juice, which is why the squad will find the Save Mart Center unkind tonight.

Predicted Outcome

Fresno State 79, Sam Houston State 67