Nov. 21, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University basketball team will face off against its second nationally-ranked opponent of the 2006-07 campaign Wednesday as the Bulldogs meet the 15th-ranked Arizona Wildcats at 8 p.m. (CST), in Tucson, Ariz.

The game will be televised regionally on Fox Sports Net Arizona. It will also be carried locally on the radio at WVSU 91.1 FM, or via the internet at either www.samfordsports.com or www.al.com/wvsu.

Earlier this season, Samford (1-2) opened the year on the road against the top-ranked and defending national champion Florida Gators. The Bulldogs finished the matchup with three players scoring in double figures, but dropped a hard-fought 79-54 decision in front of a near sell-out crowd of over 11,000 fans at the O'Connell Center.

Samford enters Wednesday's contest looking to rebound from a tough 69-62 loss at Towson on Thursday. Despite only shooting 12.5 percent (3-of-24) from beyond the arc, the Bulldogs trimmed Towson's lead to three points with just over a minute left.

Arizona (2-1) heads into the game as the 15th-ranked team in the nation and has won two-straight games.

The Wildcats dropped their season-opener at Virginia, 93-90, but have since posted lopsided home wins against Northern Arizona, 101-79, and New Mexico State, 102-87. Arizona is averaging 97.7 points per game and has five players averaging double figures in scoring.

In their three games this season, the Wildcats' Chase Budinger's leads the team with 22.7 points per game, while Ivan Radenovic is second at 19.7 points per contest, and is followed closely by Jawann McClellan (17.7 ppg), Marcus Williams (14.7 ppg) and Mustafa Shakur (13.3 ppg).

Samford will square off against the Arizona Wildcats for the first time in school history Wednesday.

The Bulldogs' meeting with Arizona marks Samford's second all-time matchup against a Pacific-10 opponent. In 1974, the Bulldogs played at Oregon State on Dec. 21, and dropped an 87-66 decision on the road in Corvalis, Ore.

Samford's junior center Travis Peterson will be returning to his home state of Arizona on Wednesday.

Peterson, a native of Glendale, Ariz., played at Mountain Ridge High School and has started every game for the Bulldogs this season. He is averaging 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest and connected on three 3-point baskets against top-ranked Florida, Nov. 10. Peterson finished the game with 11 points.

Samford's Jerry Smith has recorded two-straight double-doubles heading into Wednesday's game at Arizona.

Smith, the Bulldogs' four-year starter at point guard, finished with 12 points and 10 assists against Tennessee Temple, Nov. 14. He then posted a 13-point, 10-rebounds performance on the road versus Towson on Thursday. Smith has recorded four double-doubles in his collegiate career.

Samford has made at least one 3-point field goal in 442-consecutive games.

The last game in which the Bulldogs did not make a 3-point basket was on Jan. 19, 1991, against Texas-San Antonio. Samford has also made at least two 3-pointers in 411-straight games dating back to Feb. 8, 1992, when the Bulldogs finished 1-of-6 from beyond the arc against Mercer.

The Samford University basketball team will close out its two-game road swing Wednesday against the 15th-ranked Arizona Wildcats at 8 p.m. (CST), in Tucson, Ariz. The matchup will be played at the 14,545-seat McKale Center and will be the first all-time meeting between the teams.