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LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Samford University basketball team will begin play in its final Southern Conference road trip of the 2017-18 regular season Friday as the Bulldogs meet the VMI Keydets at 6 p.m. (CT) in Cameron Hall.
 
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, as well as on the radio at 91.1 FM locally with "Voice of the Bulldogs" Blake Gardner calling the action from his spot on press row.
 
SAMFORD BASKETBALL PRE-GAME CAPSULE
Samford Bulldogs at VMI Keydets | Friday, Feb. 23
 
TIP:  6 p.m. (CT), at Cameron Hall in Lexington
 
WEBSTREAM:  ESPN3
 
RADIO:  91.1 FM locally in Birmingham

SAMFORD
1). The Bulldogs (9-20, 5-11 SoCon) enter Friday's contest looking to bounce back from a pair of tough home losses to Mercer and Furman. Samford fell to Mercer on Feb. 12, 74-69, before dropping a 94-79 decision to the Paladins on Senior Day Saturday.
 
2). Samford boasts five players averaging double-figure scoring in SoCon play this season. Senior Demetrius Denzel-Dyson and junior Justin Coleman both lead the pack with 14.7 points per game, while Alex Thompson follows closely at 12.1. Senior Eric Adams and sophomore Triston Chambers round out the five with scoring averages of 11.6 and 11.5 in SoCon action, respectively.
 
3). The Bulldogs' Coleman and Josh Sharkey have combined for 320 of the team's 479 assists this season. Coleman has already registered 180 this year, while Sharkey boasts 140. Despite not playing since Dec. 5 due to injury, Christen Cunningham is next on the team with 36.
 
4). Samford will be meeting VMI for 12th the time in school history Friday. The Bulldogs own a
9-2 advantage in the all-time series and have won six straight games against the Keydets. Samford's last loss in the series occurred Jan. 21, 2016, on the road in Lexington, Virginia, 83-76.
 
5). In the first meeting between the teams this season, the Bulldogs' Chambers exploded for a career-high 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field. He also drained a career-high eight 3-point baskets and pulled down seven rebounds in Samford's 93-79 victory.
 
VMI
1). The Keydets (8-19, 3-13 SoCon) head into Friday's game looking to rebound from a 76-54 road loss at Furman on Tuesday. In the defeat, freshman guard Jordan Ratliffe was VMI's lone double-digit scorer with 10 points. Bubba Parham, who entered the game ranked fifth in the SoCon in scoring (15.2), was held to a season-low three points.
 
2). The Keydets are 7-0 this year when leading at halftime, an event that last happened Saturday at The Citadel as VMI earned its season sweep of the Bulldogs, 75-71, in Charleston, South Carolina.
 
3). Senior Fred Iruafemi is ranked second on the SoCon's active career leaders' list in blocks with 111.
 
4). VMI head coach Dan Earl is in his third season leading the Keydets. He owns a 5-40 all-time record when playing on the road, but a solid 18-22 mark when playing in the friendly confines of Cameron Hall.
 
5). VMI enters Friday's game ranked No. 53 in the nation in steals per game this season with an average of 7.4.
 
INSIDE STUFF
Samford's Denzel-Dyson became the school's 28th member of the 1,000-point club Saturday at home against Furman. By achieving the feat, he become just the third player in school history to accomplish the deed in his first two seasons as a Bulldog, joining Samford Hall of Famer Craig Beard (1982-84) and Tim Williams (2012-14).
 
NEXT
Following Friday's matchup, the Samford University basketball team will next be in action Sunday at 3 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs square off against the UNCG Spartans in their final game of the regular season to be held at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.
 
TWITTER
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