Nov. 9, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University basketball team will host its second preseason exhibition game of the 2008-09 campaign Monday at 7 p.m., as the Bulldogs welcome the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs to the Pete Hanna Center.

In Samford's first exhibition matchup of the season, the Bulldogs cruised to an 81-67 home victory against Covenant College on Thursday.

Samford finished the game with four players scoring in double figures. Sophomore guard Josh Davis led the Bulldogs with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the floor, while sophomore center Andy King added 14. Samford's Curtis West and Josh Bedwell also scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Tennessee Wesleyan (1-2) heads into Monday's exhibition game with a 1-2 record on the season. The Bulldogs opened the year with a 97-69 victory against Knoxville College, but then dropped back-to-back contests versus Embry-Riddle (80-56) and Webber International (75-58).

Tennessee Wesleyan is located in Athens, Tenn., and competes in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs' roster features 13 of its 14 players being natives of Tennessee. Senior forward Mike Fields is the team's only player not from Tennessee. Fields is a native of St. Lucie, Fla.

Samford owns a 7-3 all-time record against Tennessee Wesleyan. The teams started the series in 1927 as Samford earned a pair of victories, 41-35 in Athens, Tenn., and 44-31 in Birmingham, Ala. In the most recent meeting between the teams, Samford picked up a 68-30 victory against Tennessee Wesleyan on Dec. 9, 2004, in Seibert Hall.

Following Monday night's exhibition game, Samford will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m., as the Bulldogs begin their regular-season schedule against the Belmont Bruins. The teams will square off in the season-opener at the Curb Event Center (5,000) in Nashville, Tenn.