STOCKTON, Calif. - The Pacific men's basketball team debuts for its first game of the season as the Tigers host Sam Houston on Monday night at the Alex G. Spanos Center. The Tigers meet the Bearkats for the first time in program history as they seek to kick off the 2023-24 season on the right foot.
 
The Tigers finished 15-18 overall and 7-9 in the WCC a year prior to finish tied for fifth in the WCC. In last year's WCC tournament, the Tigers captured a first-round victory over Pepperdine, before they fell to San Francisco in the second round. The Tigers were selected to finish eighth in this year's WCC preseason poll.
 
The Bearkats recorded a program best 26-8 record last season, including a postseason victory in the first round of the NIT over Santa Clara. In the CUSA preseason polls, Sam Houston was voted to finish fifth in the conference. Rising junior Cameron Huefner was named to the All-Conference USA preseason team, the lone starter who returned this season for the Bearkats.
 
Pacific returns the bulk of their roster from a year ago, only losing four players from last year's team. They added four back this offseason, bringing in two transfers and two freshmen. Across the fourteen-man roster lies an abundance of experience and hunger for success. While the leading scorers from last year's squad moved on, the now senior-most players on the team are ready to step up to the plate.
 
Junior Tyler Beard averaged 9.1 points per game, dished out 84 assists and grabbed 21 steals, while shooting 42.9 percent from deep and 48.1 percent from the floor a year ago. He returns along with seniors Nick Blake and Donovan Williams. 
 
Blake averaged 8.6 ppg for the Tigers and shot 45.2 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from beyond the arc. Williams posted 7.1 ppg, 3.6 rebounds per game, and 14 steals.
 
Sophomore Moe Odum returns having led the team with 108 assists a year ago and a team leading 24 steals. The rising sophomore guard averaged 5.6 ppg for the Tigers across an average of 15.9 minutes a game and shot 43.7 percent from the floor. 
 
Senior Judson Martindale also returns having played critical minutes for the Tigers a year ago. The senior forward averaged 6.5 ppg, pulling in 2.6 rebounds a game, while shooting 40 percent from three and 47.5 percent from the floor. 

For the Bearkats, junior forward Huefner averaged 10 points and 3.6 rebounds a game for the Bearkats a year prior, shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from beyond the arc. 
 
Joining him is junior guard Lamar Wilkerson, who averaged 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds a game for Sam Houston, while shooting 41.5 percent from the floor. Alongside them is senior guard Jaden Ray, who averaged 6.2 ppg and dished out 60 assists in 2022-23, while shooting 46.3 percent from the floor.
 
In the offseason, the Bearkats added transfer senior forward Soulemayne Doumbia from TCU and junior transfer guard Davon Barnes from Texas Southern in efforts to replace their top leading scorers from a year ago.
 
Sam Houston presents Pacific with an excellent test at the start of the season. The Tigers hope to build off their achievements from a year ago, while the Bearkats hope to follow their historic season with another in a new league. The two face off on Monday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Alex G. Spanos Center. 
 
Come out and catch the Tigers in their first game of the season! Single game tickets are available for purchase here. The game can be streamed on ESPN+ and be sure to stay up to date on their social accounts @PacificMensBB on both Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).