Game Notes
SoCon Release
Samford Media Guide

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Samford University basketball team will begin a critical stretch of Southern Conference contests Thursday at 7 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs open a two-game homestand against the Elon Phoenix to be held at the Pete Hanna Center (5,000).
 
Fans unable to attend the game in person can follow along via Samford's free Live-stream. The contest will also be broadcast locally on 97.3 FM The Zone and Live Stats will be provided on SamfordSports.com.
 
Samford (10-17, 8-6 SoCon) enters Thursday's matchup as the second-place team in the North Division and boasting back-to-back victories against Wofford and Furman.
 
In Saturday's road win at Furman, the Bulldogs used a game-high 19 points from Clide Geffrard, Jr., 17 points from Raijon Kelly and a double-double performance from Tim Williams to defeat the Paladins in Greenville, S.C., for the first time in school history.
 
Williams, Samford's talented 6-foot-8 true freshman from Chicago, Ill., finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds at Furman to tally his fifth double-double of the 2012-13 season.
 
At the intermission Saturday, Samford held a 31-26 advantage, but the Paladins used a 9-2 second half-opening run to take a slight 35-33 lead with 16:52 remaining in the game. The Bulldogs' Geffrard, Jr., then stemmed the Paladins' rally with five points of his own as Samford rallied to take a 45-40 lead with 10 minutes to play.
 
Samford used another key 3-pointer from Geffrard, Jr., to extend its lead to 55-47 at the five-minute mark. Down the stretch, Furman was forced to foul and the Bulldogs knocked down their free throws to extend their final lead to 64-53.
 
On Saturday, Samford out-rebounded Furman, 37-23, and tallied 13 boards on the offensive end of the court. The Bulldogs also limited the Paladins to six offensive rebounds.
 
Elon (18-8, 11-3 SoCon), the first-place team in the North Division, heads into Thursday's contest in the midst of a three-game winning streak. The Phoenix has been victorious in 10 of its last 11 games and has not been defeated since Feb. 7 when Wofford posted a 60-50 home win in Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Elon boasts one of the top teams in the nation in 3-point field goals per game this season. The Phoenix is averaging 7.8 3-pointers per contest and is ranked No. 34 in the nation. Elon's leading 3-point shooter, Jack Isenbarger, has already connected on 68 3-pointers this season and is scoring 13.9 points per game. Lucas Troutman leads the team with 15.2 points per contest.
 
On Feb. 2, Samford lost to Elon, 77-66, on the road in Elon, N.C. With the defeat, the Bulldogs dropped to 7-2 all-time against the Phoenix. Samford's previous loss to Elon occurred Jan. 8, 2011, also in Elon.
 
When facing the Phoenix in the Pete Hanna Center, the Bulldogs have compiled a perfect 4-0 record, including an 87-78 victory last season.
 
In the earlier meeting between the teams, Samford's Connor Miller scored a career-high 21 points and turned in a 7-of-9 shooting performance from 3-point range. Despite Miller's personal-best outing, the Bulldogs' second-half surge came up short in a 77-66 road loss held in front of a rowdy, capacity-filled crowd in Alumni Gym.
 
The Bulldogs' Geffrard, Jr., registered a double-double against Elon as Samford's athletic true freshman swingman scored 17 points and grabbed a career-high 11 boards.
 
Geffrard, Jr., helped buoy the Bulldogs in the second half as he led a Samford comeback to within 10 points at 71-61 with 5:13 remaining in the game. He scored seven of his 17 points in the final period, including a resounding left-handed dunk over Troutman.
 
Once Samford cut Elon's late advantage to 71-61, Troutman answered with a pair of dunks of his own and Isenbarger connected on two free throws to allow the Phoenix to earn the 77-66 win. Elon's Troutman finished the Feb. 2 matchup with a game-high 26 points, while Isenbarger dropped in 22.
 
So far this season, Samford's offensive attack has been buoyed greatly by the play of true freshmen Williams and Geffrard, Jr. Combined, the Bulldogs' duo is averaging 25.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game this year. Samford's tandem has also combined to post five 20-point performances, 40 10-point games and six double-digit rebound outings this season.
 
Additionally, Williams has already registered five double-doubles in 2012-13, while Geffrard, Jr., turned in a solid double-double performance at Elon on Feb. 2, as he compiled 17 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Williams, Samford's 6-foot-8, 210-pound native of Chicago, Ill., is averaging 14.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game this season. During his time at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Williams averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per outing for a talented squad that boasted multiple scoring options. He also averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.3 assists per contest.
 
Geffrard, Jr., the Bulldogs' 6-foot-5, 215-pound native of Pompano Beach, Fla., is averaging 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this year. Samford's exciting forward has started in 20 games for the Bulldogs.
 
Samford's Kelly has already accumulated 123 assists this season and is ranked second in the SoCon with an average of 4.6 assists per game. The Bulldogs' sophomore floor general from St. Paul, Minn., is only 18 assists shy of setting Samford's all-time single-season record in the category.
 
The current record-holder in single-season assists is former Bulldog-great Ervin Terry, who totaled 140 in 1977-78.
 
Kelly, in only his second year at Samford, has already compiled a career total of 196 assists and is on pace to reach the prestigious 200-assist mark Thursday against Elon. The Bulldogs' all-time record-holder in career assists is former Bulldog-great Jerry Smith, who accumulated 433 from 2003-07.
 
A key mantra in Samford head coach Bennie Seltzer's philosophy is Intensity. The Bulldogs' first-year head coach always played with Intensity throughout his illustrious playing career at Washington State, and he brings that same mindset to Samford University and his Bulldog players.
 
This season, Samford's practice shorts have INTENSITY prominently featured on the backside, because Seltzer wants his players to always be reminded about what it takes to win games.
 
Following Thursday's key home matchup with Elon, the Samford University basketball team will next be in action Saturday at 7 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs play host to the UNCG Spartans in a momentous home finale to be held at the Pete Hanna Center.

Game Notes
SoCon Release
Samford Media Guide