Published: November 10, 2009 10:00 pm      

Bearkats slash ticket prices for basketball

For 72 hours, fans can buy tickets for eight games for $8

General admission tickets to Bearkat home basketball games in November and December are available for only a $1.

That’s the bargain Sam Houston State is offering hoop fans during the $1 Bearkat Basketball Ticket Sale, which lasts only 72 hours on www.gobearkats.com, beginning at 10 a.m. today.

Since the $1 ticket sale was announced last month, excitement has been building surrounding a Bearkat men’s basketball program that has been picked in the preseason polls to be one of the best in the Southland Conference.

During the on-line only sale at www.gobearkats.com, fans have the option of buying a general admission ticket for $1 or a reserved seat for $5 to any or all of the eight Bearkat basketball games at Johnson in November and December.

The sale includes six men’s games and two women’s contests. Opponents include the Ole Miss Rebels, Florida International’s Golden Panthers and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns.

“This is a one-time only sports entertainment bargain,” Sam Houston State director of athletics Bobby Williams said. “Never before and never again will we offer fans a chance to see quality NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball for just a buck.”

The Sam Houston men return three starters and five other lettermen from last year’s Southland West Division championship team, including the high-scoring backcourt of seniors Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell. Both are All-Southland Conference selections.

Headlining the six men’s games included in the 72-hour sale is a visit by Isiah Thomas to Huntsville when Florida International plays the Kats on Dec. 22.

Thomas helped build a last-place Detroit Pistons team into back-to-back NBA champions in the 1980s. In April, the former NBA all-star and league MVP became head coach of the Golden Panthers.

Other men’s games available for just a buck are LeTourneau (Saturday), Texas College (Monday), Mid-America Christian (Nov. 30), Louisiana-Lafayette (Dec. 5) and Ecclesia (Dec. 12).

Seniors Whitney Smith and Brittany Brooks, who both rank among Sam Houston’s all-time top 25 career scorers, lead the 2009-10 edition of the Bearkat women’s basketball team.

Ole Miss starts the home schedule for the women on Tuesday. Sam Houston will host Oral Roberts in a women’s game on Nov. 30.

“Eight college basketball games for $8. There’s never been a sale like this in Huntsville, and there never will be again,” Williams said. “And all you have to do to take advantage of this sale is log on to gobearkats.com and buy your tickets.”

While going to www.gobearkats.com for the 72-hour sale, fans also can purchase tickets for other Sam Houston State athletic events, including the Bearkats’ final home football game with Central Arkansas on Saturday.

For more information, contact the Sam Houston Athletic Ticket Office located in the Ron Mafrige Fieldhouse. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office number is (936) 294-1729.