Nov. 9, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Samford University basketball team will face its highest-ranked opponent in school history Friday as the Bulldogs open their 2006-07 regular season on the road against the consensus No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Florida Gators.

Samford's historical matchup against the top-ranked Gators will begin at 7 p.m. (CST), in the O'Connell Center (12,000). Last season, the Bulldogs played at No. 2-ranked Texas in what was the program's highest-ranked opponent.

Samford (0-0) heads into the 2006-07 campaign as the preseason favorite to win the Ohio Valley Conference. The Bulldogs return four starters from last season's squad that finished with a 20-11 record and advanced to the championship game of the OVC Tournament. It was the first time in school history that Samford was picked to win the OVC.

Florida (0-0) finished last season with a 33-6 overall record and won its last 11 games of the year en route to the national championship title.

The Gators head into this season as the first defending national champion since Arizona in 1998 to bring back all five of its starters from the previous year. Florida concluded 2005-06 Southeastern Conference play with a 10-6 record.

Earlier this week, Samford played host to North Georgia in its lone exhibition contest of the preseason and cruised to a 76-45 victory.

The Bulldogs' senior guard Randall Gulina scored 30 points in the win and shot 12-of-15 from the field. He also knocked down 6-of-8 of his 3-point field goal attempts. Heading into this season, his career-high in scoring was a 22-point performance against Morehead State, Jan. 19.

Jerry Smith, Samford's four-year starter at point guard, tallied 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in the game. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

Florida breezed to a pair of victories in its preseason exhibition games. The Gators handily defeated Northwood, 70-41, on Nov. 2 and then dropped Barry, 83-47, on Nov. 5 at home in the O'Connell Center.

Florida forced a total of 50 turnovers in its two exhibition games.

The Bulldogs will be facing Florida for the second time in school history Friday. The previous matchup occurred during the 1970-71 campaign when Samford dropped a 79-74 decision in Gainesville, Fla.

The 1970 meeting between the two teams was also the Bulldogs' season-opener.

Samford's 2006-07 schedule features road games against three opponents currently ranked among the top-10 teams in the nation. The Bulldogs will play non-conference games at No. 5 LSU and No. 10-ranked Arizona.

Later this month, the Bulldogs will square off against the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats on the road in Tucson, Ariz. The contest will be played at 8 p.m. (CST), Nov. 22.

Samford's final matchup against a team currently ranked in the top 10 will be against the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers. Last season, LSU captured the SEC title and advanced to the Final Four held in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Tigers and Bulldogs will meet as a part of the 2006 Hispanic College Funds Classic at 7:30 p.m., on Dec. 29, at the Maravich Center in Baton Rouge, La.