HUNTSVILLE -- Sam Houston State looks to extend its winning streak to four games when the Bearkats play host to Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday in a 2 p.m. contest at Johnson Coliseum.

The Bearkats earned the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division championship with victories over Oral Roberts and Rider in Mexico during Thanksgiving week. The Kats defeated ORU 71-65 and rallied for an 87-55 victory against Rider. Monday Sam Houston State defeated Mid America Christian of Oklahoma City 87-55 in the first contest in a three-game home stand.

Louisiana-Lafayette is 1-4 for the season after Tuesday 66-58 loss at LSU. The Cajuns defeated Louisiana College 90-68 but lost to Southern Miss 79-72 and Mobile 68-64 and McNeese State 60-58.

"Louisiana-Lafayette is a good team," SHSU head coach Bob Marlin said. "We can't look at that 1-4 record and take them lightly. They battled LSU down to the wire in Baton Rouge Tuesday and they'll be ready for us after our close game last year."

Saturday afternoon's game pits two teams that battled last year in a thriller that was decided in the final seconds. Ashton Mitchell drove the lane for the winning basket with two seconds remaining to give Sam Houston State a 56-54 come-from-behind victory over Louisiana-Lafayette at the Cajun Dome Dec. 21, 2008. The Kats trailed 31-22 at halftime and were down by 10 points, 34-24 with 17:14 to play. Mitchell and Corey Allmond led Sam Houston with 17 points each.

A free throw by DeLuis Ramirez with 3:57 to play gave the Kats their first lead, 47-46 with 3:57. The lead changed hands twice more and there were three more ties before Mitchell's game-winning play.

Saturday marks the 15th meeting of the Bearkats and the Ragin' Cajuns on the basketball floor. The series is tied at seven victories apiece. Sam Houston won 56-54 in Lafayette last year. The Cajuns had won the five previous meetings with victories in 1993, 1990, 1989 and two in 1988.

Sam Houston is 3-1 against Louisiana-Lafayette in Huntsville.

The Bearkats enter Saturday's contest with three players averaging in double figures. Senior guard Corey Allmond leads the team with 16.3 points per game. Senior point guard Ashton Mitchell is scoring 13.0 points per game and junior center Gilberto Clavell adds 11.6 points per contest.

The Cajuns also have three players scoring in double digits with 6-8 forward Tyren Johnson (12.2), 5-10 guard Randell Daigle (12.0) and 6-7 forward Chris Gradnigo (10.0).