Game Notes
SoCon Release
Samford Media Guide

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Samford University basketball team, in the midst of its longest winning streak in over four years, will begin a critical three-game Southern Conference road stretch Thursday at 6 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs square off against the UNCG Spartans at the Greensboro Coliseum (23,000).
 
The game will be aired locally on the radio at ESPN 97.3 FM The Zone. Fans will also be able to follow along on the Internet via Live Stats.
 
Samford (7-12, 5-1 SoCon) heads into Thursday's contest riding the positive momentum of a four-game winning streak. Since losing a hard-fought battle to Chattanooga on Jan. 5, 74-70, the Bulldogs have rattled off consecutive triumphs over College of Charleston, 62-57, The Citadel, 69-65, Western Carolina, 64-60, and Appalachian State, 72-68.
 
In Saturday's victory against Appalachian State, Clide Geffrard, Jr., a true freshman from Pompano Beach, Fla., scored a game-high 20 points on a stellar 8-of-12 shooting performance from the field. Samford's 6-foot-5 forward also drained four 3-point baskets and added five rebounds and a trio of assists.
 
The Bulldogs' Brandon Hayman, who didn't see playing time in the previous three games, came off the bench with a fury Saturday and registered a career-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting, all while tallying three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Hayman's previous career-high in scoring was 10, which he achieved at Sam Houston State on Dec. 28, 2011.
 
Samford's four-game winning streak is its longest since Jan. 15-24, 2009, when the Bulldogs earned victories against Western Carolina, Appalachian State, Elon and UNCG.
 
The Bulldogs' four-point win over Appalachian State on Saturday proved to be its third-consecutive triumph by exactly four points. In its previous two meetings, Samford also defeated The Citadel, 69-65, and Western Carolina, 64-60, by four points.
 
UNCG (4-13, 2-4 SoCon) enters Thursday's matchup with hopes of rebounding from a 69-61 home loss to Furman on Sunday. The Spartans have tallied all four of their wins at home this season and have compiled a 4-5 record when playing in Greensboro, N.C.
 
UNCG heads into the game boasting the top scoring offense in the SoCon this year. The Spartans are averaging 73 points per game this season as Trevis Simpson (17.8 ppg) and Derrell Armstrong (16.8 ppg) are ranked second and third in the conference in scoring, respectively. UNCG's Kayel Locke is also averaging doubles figures in scoring at 10.2 points per game.
 
The Bulldogs currently own a 6-4 advantage in their all-time series against UNCG, but are in the midst of a three-game losing streak to the Spartans. Samford's last victory in the series occurred Jan. 6, 2011, in Greensboro, N.C., by a score of 68-64. Since then, UNCG has earned consecutive victories on Jan. 29, 2011, Jan. 22, 2012 and Feb. 9, 2012.
 
Samford returning starters Tyler Hood, Raijon Kelly and Will Cook are all listed among the Bulldogs' active leaders in points, rebounds, assists and 3-point field goals. Currently, steals is the only major category that all three of the aforementioned players aren't ranked among the top three on Samford's roster.
 
Kelly, Samford's dynamic sophomore point guard, is the team's active leader points (559), assists (144) and steals (36). He is also the Bulldogs' leader in 3-point field goals (75) and is third in rebounds (134). Hood is currently ranked second among active players in points (420), 3-point field goals (54) and rebounds (145). He is also ranked fourth on the team in career assists (44).
 
Cook, the Bulldogs' junior guard from Dallas, Texas, leads Samford in rebounds (236) and is also listed second on the squad in steals (28). Cook is also ranked third on the team in points (360), assists (56) and 3-point field goals (46).
 
Samford's Tim Williams played a key role in the Bulldogs' two-game SoCon sweep of North Division rivals Western Carolina and Appalachian State last week.
 
Williams, Samford's 6-foot-7 forward from Chicago, Ill., registered his fourth double-double of the season on Jan. 17 as he tallied a game-high 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds versus Western Carolina.
 
In Saturday's home matchup, Williams scored 13 points and added five rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals as the Bulldogs topped Appalachian State, 72-68. He also turned in a 6-of-10 shooting performance from the field and logged 37 minutes of playing time. Samford's Williams closed out the week averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, three assists and two steals per game.
 
The SoCon released its annual Preseason Media Rankings on Oct. 25, as the Samford basketball team was projected to finish fourth in the SoCon North Division. UNCG and Davidson were tabbed as the favorites to capture the conference's divisional titles in 2012-13.
 
Both the Wildcats and Spartans were also selected preseason favorites by the league's coaches after each team won its respective division in 2011-12.
 
Samford, under the direction of first-year head coach Bennie Seltzer, garnered 72 total points and was predicted to finish tied for fourth place with Appalachian State in the North Division rankings. The Bulldogs return three starters from last season's squad, which concluded the year tied for third place in the division at 8-10.
 
With Samford's new up-tempo offense and hardnosed man-to-man defensive mindset, Seltzer realizes that there will always be a need for quickness, agility and speed on his roster. The Bulldogs' 2012-13 squad boasts 10 guards, including two true point guards out of its 13-man roster. The only non-guards on this season's team are forwards Geffrard, Jr., Hood and Williams.
 
Following Thursday's matchup at UNCG, the Samford University basketball team will next be in action Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs continue their three-game road stretch with a key contest against the Davidson Wildcats to be held at Belk Arena in Davidson, N.C.

Game Notes
SoCon Release
Samford Media Guide