MVP: Amber Leggett was an All-Southland First-Team and All-Southland Defensive Team selection and finished second in the league in scoring with 15.6 points per game. She’s the Bearkats’ star.

The Ceiling: The ground work has been set for the Bearkats, who look every bit the part of a serious league contender and a team capable of playing in a post-season tournament. Justice was a great hire at Sam Houston, which stands a chance of hoisting the league’s hardware overhead in March.

The Floor: While everything seems in place for a contending campaign, the team will have to develop some depth, which is no big secret. If some youngsters struggle in their roles, this team could slip to fourth place, its finish last season.
 

Projected Starting Five

Faith Cook
G | 5-2 | R-Sr. | Baytown, Texas

Jolicia Williams
G | 5-7 | Jr. | Natchitoches, La.

Jacquelyn Levay
G | 5-8 | Jr. | Tampa, Fla.

Courtney Cleveland
F | 5-10 | Sr. | Arlington, Texas

Amber Leggett
F | 5-11 | Jr. | Navarre, Fla.

Ravon Justice
Head Coach

Game of the Year: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

First-Year Impact Player: Jolicia Williams

Season Preview

In two seasons, Ravon Justice has turned Sam Houston from laughingstock to turning heads.

Her Bearkat teams are a combined 35-23 and set school records at the Division I level in overall wins (19) and league victories (14) last season.

All of this followed a five-year run that saw the program win just 40 games prior to her arrival.

With a solid core of returners and some interesting newcomers included on the roster, more improvement by the Bearkats should be in order.

Highlighting the returners are sophomore Amber Leggett and Faith Cook, two all-league players last season.

Leggett (15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg) led the Bearkats in scoring while earning first-team all-league honors. Leggett served as a catalyst on both ends of the court. Besides her scoring, she stood out on defense with 80 steals and 23 blocks.

Cook, formerly on UTEP, was named the league's Newcomer of the Year in her initial campaign with the Bearkats.

She averaged 10.7 points, made 48 3-pointers and contributed 81 assists and 24 steals.

Another veteran is senior forward Courtney Cleveland, whose contributions of 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds served as stablility last season. With some improvement, she will be a double-digit scorer.

A group of newcomers via the transfer route gives the roster a more imposing look.

Junior guard Jolicia Williams averaged 14.8 points in her final campaign at Panola JC and figures to be a main contributor.

Two others - Jacquelyn Levay and Damaya Telemaque - posted consistent numbers at their former schools.

Levay averaged 11.9 points and shot 41 percent on 3-pointers at Florida State College. Telemaque started 30 games and averaged 8 points at South Alabama as a sophomore.

The remainder of the roster is made up of returners with modest statistics and newcomers.

Guard Kaylee Jefferson, a redshirt sophomore, had 10 steals in limited time in her first Bearkat campaign after transferring from East Carolina.

Other vets who should supply depth are Alyssa Osborne and Madelyn Batista.

Freshman guard Diamond Hunter led Lee High School in Baton Rouge, La., to consecutive state titles. She averaged 24 points as a senior.

Senior guard Monica Barefield started nine games in two season at Iona, where she scored in double-figures six times her final campaign. She has scoring potential, with a career-high 20 points against Siena during the 2018-19 season.

"Monica will bring experience and leadership to our program," Justice said. "She plays with a lot of energy and excitement and has the ability to be a presence in our offense as well as apply heavy ball pressure on defense."

 Key losses since last season include Jaylonn Walker (13.0 ppg) and Jennifer Oramus (10.2 ppg).

That said, Justice's program is not looking back. It's looking ahead.

With Leggett and Cook anchoring the starting lineup and other vets and some talented newcomers available, Sam Houston will serve notice once again that its a team on the rise in the Southland.