Dec. 17, 2003
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Tip-Off: Samford looks to snap a two-game losing streak as it hosts Tennessee-Temple on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Seibert Hall. It is only Samford's second home game of the season and the first in the last 23 days. Temple is 5-7 after posting a 30-4 record last season. You can listen to the game live on WVSU 91.1 FM or watch it over the internet on Bulldog Vision.
Samford: The Bulldogs are 2-4 after playing five of its first six games away from Seibert Hall. The Bulldogs will play three games over the next five days against Tennessee-Temple, Covenant, and at Memphis. Sophomore J. Robert Merritt leads the Ohio Valley Conference and is 15th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage at 51.5 percent. He has hit 17-of-33 long-range attempts thus far and ranks fourth in the conference with 2.83 treys per game. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging a league-high 10 treys per game while ranking third in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.2 percent.
Senior Phillip Ramelli is the only Bulldog player to score in double-figures in each game this season. He has scored at least 10 points in seven-straight games dating back to last season's Atlantic Sun tournament game.
Tennessee-Temple: The Crusaders are coming off a 76-54 victory over Covenant College that broke a six game losing streak. TTU began the season 4-1 but have had no luck in the state of Alabama this season dropping games to Mobile and Spring Hill before losing to their only D1 opponent, Jacksonville State 84-58.
Bob Richey leads the Crusaders averaging 12.6 points per game while Josh Jones chips in 11.5 points per game. TTU is shooting 41 percent from the floor and 38 from long range this season.
Series History: Samford leads the all-time series against Tennessee-Temple 2-0. Both previous meetings were in Birmingham with the last coming on Dec. 30, 1997. The Bulldogs won that meeting 85-62. Samford won the first meeting on Nov. 27, 1995 66-47.
Up Next: Samford concludes this two-game home stand against Covenant College on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs are 2-0 all-time against Covenant.
