Jan. 9, 2004

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Samford (6-6) will be looking to win three-straight for the first time this season as it travels to Tennessee State (2-10) for a 3 p.m. game in Nashville on Saturday. The Bulldogs and Tigers are both 1-0 in conference after defeating Jacksonville State this week. Samford handed JSU a 58-48 loss on Tuesday while TSU dropped JSU 88-74 on Thursday.

Tyson Dorsey finished with 15 points and Eddie Harper added 14 to lead Samford over Jacksonville State. Phillip Ramelli scored 12 points and Robert Merritt had 10 for Samford which improved to 5-0 at home.

Jerry Smith earned Ohio Valley Conference Rookie of the Week honors for the first time in his career this week. The Picayune, Miss., native was 5-8 (62.5 percent) from three-point range and shot 57 percent from the floor over three games last week and dished out seven assists

The Bulldogs will be looking to move above .500 for the first time this season and would be 2-0 in the conference for the first time since the 2001-02 season when Samford began Atlantic Sun play 4-0.

Bruce Price scored 38 points against JSU to help TSU snap a 10-game losing streak with an 88-74 victory on Thursday. Price was 8-14 from the floor and 17-24 from the free throw line. He is averaging 18.2 ppg for the season. Roshaun Bowens is averaging 15.6 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Tigers while Garrett Richardson adds 12.1 ppg. TSU shoots 40 percent from the floor while opponents are shooting 52 percent against them.

Samford is 4-3 all-time against Tennessee State but the two have not met since a 90-72 Bulldog victory on Dec. 2, 1987 in Nashville. All seven meetings came from 1981-87.

Samford will travel to face conference leading Murray State on Thursday. Murray leads the all-time series 7-4 but the teams have not played since 1983.