Nov. 10, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
Expectations are high for the 2009-10 Samford basketball team as it heads into its second season as a member of the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs boast four returning starters and 11 returning letterwinners from last year's squad that advanced to the semifinal round of the 2009 SoCon Tournament. Additionally, Samford includes the services of three highly-touted incoming freshmen who all possess the ability to contribute immediately.
Head coach Jimmy Tillette enters his 13th full season at the helm of the Bulldog basketball program and returns all three of his assistants from last year. Tillette, Samford's all-time winningest coach, will be joined again by associate head coach Paul Kelly and assistant coaches Lee Burgess and Thomas Johnson. Kelly is in the midst of his 13th season at Samford, while Burgess is in his seventh year and Johnson is in his second. Also serving as key anchors for the Bulldogs' coaching staff are director of basketball operations Jay Welborn and administrative assistant Sara Lightsey.
The continuity of Samford's basketball staff has played a major role in the Bulldogs' recent success. Tillette and his staff have led the Bulldogs to a pair of NCAA Tournaments and have registered an impressive 131-87 record against conference opponents.
The 2008-09 campaign was the Bulldogs' first as a member of the esteemed Southern Conference. Despite being picked to finish last in the league's six-team North Division, Samford concluded the season with a 16-16 overall record and a third-place finish in the division. The Bulldogs compiled a 9-11 mark against their new conference foes and streaked to the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament, held at the McKenzie Arena in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn. In the highly-competitive 12-team tournament, Samford tallied victories against Furman 57-52 and The Citadel 76-67 before suffering an 81-70 loss at the hands of the eventual SoCon champion and homestanding Chattanooga Mocs.
During the final stretch of the 2008-09 campaign, Samford played its best basketball of the season. The Bulldogs were victorious in five of their final eight games and truly meshed once the SoCon Tournament began. Fans and supporters of the Samford basketball team are optimistic that the upcoming season will pick up where the last one ended.
The Bulldogs return four starters, 11 of 13 letterwinners and 87 percent of its scoring from last season's squad. Tillette and his staff have plenty of talent and experience to work with throughout the 2009-10 campaign.
RETURNING STARTERS
Samford's four returning starters this season are seniors Bryan Friday and Trey Montgomery, as well as juniors Josh Davis and Andy King. The only starter not returning from last year's squad is two-guard Curtis West. West averaged five points and 2.8 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs in 2008-09.
Samford's four returning starters combined to average 43 points and 14 rebounds per contest last season. Friday paced the squad with 12.5 points per game, while Montgomery followed with 11.6. Davis also averaged double-figures in scoring with 10.1 points per outing.
"If we stay healthy, I think we'll have enough weapons to be competitive from day one," said Tillette. "Now, what that translates into victory-wise, I can't tell you because we stepped up our schedule this year based on our experience. Our pre-conference schedule is as challenging as we've ever had here."
Montgomery, the Bulldogs' athletic 6-foot-4 point guard, will be a third-year starter at that position. He is one of the most experienced players on the team and has greatly improved his 3-point shooting. During the 2008-09 campaign, Montgomery tallied a 38.5 shooting percentage from long distance, and Samford finished ranked No. 21 in the nation with an average of 8.3 three-point field goals made per game.
A native of Destrehan, La., Montgomery was the recipient of the 2009 Kevy McInnis Award, which is named after the former Samford player who tragically lost his life in a car accident. The award is given annually to the player that best exemplifies leadership both on and off the court, possesses the desire to achieve, and devotes his time to both church and community service. He also earned Samford's Assist Award and Rebound Award, and he received one of Samford's annual Practice Hard Awards.
Friday, Samford's leading scorer in 2008-09, will once again start at one of the forward positions this year. The Bulldogs' dominant wing player shot over 50 percent from the field last season and pulled down an average of 3.5 rebounds per contest. A native of Grapevine, Texas, Friday was named to the prestigious 2009 SoCon All-Tournament First Team. He averaged 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest en route to leading Samford to the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament. He finished the SoCon Tournament shooting 66.7 percent (18-of-27) from the field and 75 percent (6-of-8) from 3-point range.
Friday also received Samford's annual Most Outstanding Offense Award. As one of the Bulldogs' most experienced players, he owns a consecutive games-started streak of 45, which dates back to an Ohio Valley Conference matchup at Morehead State on Jan. 17, 2008.
Montgomery and Friday will once again be joined in the starting lineup by Davis, Samford's explosive 6-foot-4 sharpshooter from Lubbock, Texas. In his first full season as a starter in 2008-09, Davis averaged 10.1 points per game and ranked third on the team with a 39.8 shooting percentage from 3-point range. He earned Samford's coveted Most Improved Player Award after starting in all 32 games for the Bulldogs. Davis also finished his sophomore campaign as the SoCon's eighth-ranked player in 3-point field goals made (2.3 pg), the 10th-ranked player in 3-point field-goal percentage (39.8) and the 25th-ranked player in scoring (10.1 ppg).
Arguably, Samford's most important returning starter this season will be King. The Bulldogs' 6-foot-8 center will again anchor the team's offense at the vital P position. In Samford's precision-based offense, a majority of the plays flow through King, and his decisions will be critical to the team's success. A native of Omaha, Neb., King led the Bulldogs last season with a phenomenal 42.1 shooting percentage from 3-point range. He finished the season with a 42.9 percent mark from beyond the arc in home games and averaged 10.1 points per contest when playing in the Pete Hanna Center. King concluded the season as the fifth-ranked 3-point shooter in the SoCon and as the only center in the rankings. He also finished the year ranked 11th in the conference in 3-point field goals made with an average of two per game.
Samford's four returning starters will all play key roles for the Bulldogs this season. They will log a majority of the team's minutes, and their experience should prove beneficial to the Bulldogs this season.
"Our experience will be key for us," Tillette said. "The players will know what they're supposed to do. I think that we have a pretty good balance of being able to score the ball around the post and score the ball from the perimeter. I would hope that we could make some significant advances defensively and rebound the ball better. We were more consistent towards the end of the year last year, and now we have to try to be consistent all year long."
RETURNING LETTERWINNERS
Samford's returning letterwinners this season are nearly as experienced as the team's returning starters. The Bulldogs boast seven key reserves who will add critical depth to the roster in 2009-10. Josh Bedwell is typically one of the first players off Samford's bench, and he will be competing for the fifth and final starting position this year.
Bedwell, the Bulldogs' scrappy 6-foot guard from Hartselle, Ala., played in all 32 of the team's games last season and made starts against Saint Louis, Louisiana Tech and Chicago State. He averaged 7.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, and he finished the season ranked first on the team in free-throw percentage (86.8) and second in 3-point field-goal percentage (40.8). Bedwell also turned in the Bulldogs' best shooting performance of the season as he shot 88.9 percent (8-of-9) from the field against Spring Hill.
Matthew Friday will once again be looked upon to play a key role for the Bulldogs this season. Samford's hardnosed 6-foot-8 center will compete with King for time at the P position and will be expected to provide crucial minutes throughout the 2008-09 campaign. Last season, Friday played in 24 of the team's 32 games as a redshirt freshman and earned six starts at center. The Bulldogs' native of Grapevine, Texas, averaged 15.6 minutes per game and finished the season with a 43.2 shooting percentage from the field. Friday also registered the Bulldogs' top rebounding performance of the year against Spring Hill College as he pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds. He finished the season ranked 14th in the SoCon in blocked shots per game.
Rounding out Samford's stockpile of talented returning players this year will be senior Peter Carroll, junior Gaby Bermudez, as well as sophomores Jeffrey Merritt, John Peterson and Kaylin Johnson. All five of the aforementioned players are expected to see increased playing time this season.
"I think for sure that all of last year's freshmen will play bigger roles this year," said Tillette. "Jeffrey Merritt was ticketed for double-figure minutes for sure last year, and then he sustained an injury and that set him back. John Peterson and Kaylin Johnson will also be counted on to play. Kaylin, right now, is our backup point guard, and John Peterson is Bryan Friday's backup, so all of those guys will be asked to contribute. We're also looking forward to the return of a healthy Gaby Bermudez this season."
REMEMBERING Jim Griffin (1986-2009)
On Sept. 8, 2009, Samford's senior forward Jim Griffin passed away in his sleep. The Bulldogs' native of Chicago, Ill., was 23 years old and will be sorely missed. Griffin was a valued member of the Samford community and one of three fifth-year seniors on the basketball team. He was the Bulldogs' toughest competitor, and a standing-room-only crowd attended his memorial service held in Samford's Reid Chapel.
"As a person, and this was evidenced by everyone that showed up for his memorial service here on campus, as well as the thousands that went to his funeral in Chicago, Jim meant a lot to people," said Tillette. "I don't know anyone who didn't really love talking to Jim or being around Jim, so I miss that for sure. I miss him. Tactically, we're going to miss all of his intangibles. We're definitely going to miss his talk in practice. He was one of our most spirited players. So that's going to hurt our team and diminish our team."
In his three years at Samford, Griffin played in 92 of the team's 93 games. He never missed a practice in four years and was named the Bulldogs' recipient of the 2009 Practice Hard Award. This season, the Samford players will honor Griffin by wearing the initials "JG" on their game uniforms. He is also honored by having his initials and the No. 3 on every corner of the 2009-10 Samford Men's Basketball Media Guide. Griffin played his prep basketball at Marist High School in Chicago.
INCOMING FRESHMEN
Samford's 2009-10 freshman class consists of three talented players in Levi Barnes, Drew Windler and Gregg Wooten. All three athletes are expected to earn playing time this season and will add an abundance of depth to the Bulldogs' experienced squad.
Barnes is a 6-foot-10 center from Douglasville, Ga., who averaged 22 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and two steals per game as a senior at Heirway Christian Academy. He was the top-ranked player in Georgia in both rebounds and blocked shots and was ranked No. 20 in the nation in blocked shots. As a junior, Barnes averaged 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 6.6 blocks per game and led HCA to the 4A championship of the Georgia Independent School Association.
Samford also added another highly-touted forward/center in 6-foot-9 Windler from South Milwaukee, Wis. Windler, whose dribbling and shooting skills fit the team's style of play nicely, averaged 15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as a senior at South Milwaukee High School. He led his team in all three offensive categories in 2008-09, was named Team Captain and earned Most Valuable Player honors as a senior. Windler was also named to the 2009 All-Suburban Milwaukee team and turned in a stellar 35 percent shooting percentage from 3-point range as a senior.
Wooten joins the Bulldogs as a 6-foot-2 guard from Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tenn. A tall, explosive ball-handler, Wooten averaged 15 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals per game as a senior. He was a four-year varsity starter and concluded his illustrious prep career as the Saints' all-time leader in assists with 325. Wooten also amassed a total of 1,361 total points and averaged 12 points and three assists per game throughout high school. He was a three-time member of the All-Memphis Team as awarded by The Commercial Appeal, and he led BCS to 91 wins and a trio of Tennessee state tournament Final Fours. Wooten also piloted the Saints to the 2008 state championship title.
SCHEDULE
The Bulldogs' 2009-10 schedule includes road games at Texas A&M and Texas Tech, as well as highly-anticipated matchups against in-state foes Alabama and UAB.
"It's always a great opportunity when we play against teams from the state," said Tillette. "Facing both Alabama and UAB this season will be huge for us, and then we'll also play road games at Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Therefore, this is probably one of the most challenging non-conference schedules we've had in a long time. The Southern Conference should also be on the rise again this year and that makes for a daunting task."
Samford will open its 2009-10 slate Nov. 13-15 at the annual Hispanic College Fund Classic held at Kent State University. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play Kent State, Wisconsin-Green Bay and cross-town rival UAB during the three-day tournament. Samford and UAB, despite being located a mere 6.3 miles from each other here in Birmingham, have not met on the hardwood since March 1, 1983, when UAB pulled out a 66-65 victory at Bartow Arena. The Bulldogs have only played against the Blazers three times in school history, and UAB owns a 3-0 advantage in the series. The teams first met during the 1980-81 season.
"It's going to be great to finally play against UAB again, but it's weird that it's going to be at a neutral site 1,000 miles away," Tillette said. "It's a matchup that was created out of thin air and it sort of just happened. The Hispanic Fund Classic should be a challenging tournament for us, and playing against UAB for the first time in well over 25 years will be a memorable experience."
Also this season, Samford and Alabama will renew a rivalry which began during the 1918-19 campaign. The in-state foes are scheduled to square off in Tuscaloosa on Dec. 16 in what will be the teams' first meeting since Nov. 14, 2001, when the Crimson Tide earned an 83-51 win at home. In 30 all-time meetings between the schools, Alabama holds a 27-3 advantage. Samford's most recent victory occurred Dec. 2, 1999, when the Bulldogs earned a 79-67 victory in Coleman Coliseum en route to its second-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Along with non-conference games against Alabama and UAB, Samford will also square off against Big 12 foes Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The meetings will be the Bulldogs' second matchup against both opponents. During the 1977-78 campaign, Samford dropped a 106-91 contest to Texas A&M in a game held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. The Bulldogs later traveled to Texas Tech on Jan. 4 and were defeated by the Red Raiders, 88-58.
Samford will tip off SoCon play in early December with home games against Elon (Dec. 3) and UNC Greensboro (Dec. 5). The Bulldogs will then play consecutive non-conference games versus Spring Hill (Dec. 12), Alabama (Dec. 16), Shorter College (Dec. 19), Eastern Michigan (Dec. 22), and Chicago State (Dec. 28), before resuming conference play on the road at Davidson (Jan. 4).
Samford's final non-conference game of the regular season will be held at home against Tennessee Temple on Jan. 8. The Bulldogs will then close out their 2009-10 slate with 15 consecutive SoCon games, including highly anticipated home matchups against College of Charleston (Jan. 14), The Citadel (Jan. 16), Western Carolina (Jan. 30) and Chattanooga (Feb. 20).
Late in the conference season, Samford will host a key three-game homestand against Wofford (Feb. 13), Chattanooga (Feb. 20), and Georgia Southern (Feb. 22). The Bulldogs' game versus Georgia Southern will be their final home contest of the 2009-10 campaign, and Samford's three seniors, Peter Carroll, Bryan Friday and Trey Montgomery will be honored with an emotional Senior Day ceremony prior to the game. The end-of-the-year ceremony will also include a tribute to fifth-year senior Jim Griffin, who passed away in his sleep on Sept. 8, 2009.
For the second straight year, the Bulldogs will end their regular-season schedule with an arduous two-game SoCon road trip against Western Carolina (Feb. 25) and Appalachian State (Feb. 27). Last season, Samford earned a split in its longest road trip of the 2008-09 campaign by beating Appalachian State 72-63 in Boone, N.C. The Bulldogs will begin play in the 2010 SoCon Tournament on March 5-8 in Charlotte, N.C. The opening two days of the four-day competition will be held at Bojangles' Arena, while the semifinal and championship rounds are slated to be played at the Bobcats' Time Warner Cable Arena.
2009-10 Basketball Schedule
