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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University basketball team will begin play in a three-game Southern Conference homestand Saturday at 7 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs welcome The Citadel Bulldogs to the Pete Hanna Center for a key late-season matchup. Samford will also play host to Mercer on Monday at 7 p.m., and Furman on Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.
 
Saturday's 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. The ESPN3 crew for the contest will be Ryan Brown (Play-by-play), Murry Bartow (Color) and Kallee Taulbee (Sideline).
 
SAMFORD BASKETBALL PRE-GAME CAPSULE
The Citadel Bulldogs at Samford Bulldogs | Saturday, Feb. 10
 
TIP:  7 p.m. (CT), at the Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham
 
WEBSTREAM:  ESPN3
 
RADIO:  91.1 FM locally in Birmingham

SAMFORD
1). The Bulldogs (8-18, 4-9 SoCon) head into Saturday's contest with hopes of bouncing back from a trio of conference road losses. After beating VMI at home on Jan. 29, 92-79, Samford has suffered consecutive road defeats at ETSU, 96-76, Western Carolina, 88-71, and Wofford, 92-79.
 
2). When playing at home this season, the Bulldogs own a 7-4 record, including a 3-3 record in SoCon action. Since Jan. 28, 2017, Samford is 1-19 when playing on the road, but its lone victory occurred Jan. 11, against The Citadel, 107-91.
 
3). The Bulldogs' Justin Coleman leads the SoCon's active career list in assists per game. Coleman, Samford's lightning-quick point guard from right here in Birmingham, is averaging a jaw-dropping 5.8 assists per game in his career. Additionally, the Bulldogs' Christen Cunningham and Josh Sharkey are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 on the list at 4.7 and 4.6, respectively.
 
4). Samford will be meeting The Citadel for the 20th time in school history Saturday. The Citadel currently leads the all-time series, 11-8, but Samford registered a 107-91 road victory earlier this season in a SoCon matchup held at McAlister Field House in Charleston, South Carolina, on Jan. 11.
 
5). In its first game against The Citadel this year, Samford drained a season-high 18 3-point baskets and shot a sizzling 56.3 percent from beyond the arc. Senior Demetrius Denzel-Dyson led all scorers with 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while shooting 10-of-14 from the field.
 
THE CITADEL
1). The Bulldogs (9-15, 4-8 SoCon) enter Saturday's contest with aspirations of rebounding from a hard-fought 85-82 road loss at Chattanooga on Thursday. The defeat snapped a two-game winning streak that featured home victories against Wofford, 80-78, and Furman, 100-92.
 
2). The Citadel is ranked No. 2 in the nation in 3-point field goal attempts this season with 817. The Bulldogs are currently averaging 34 3-point attempts per game this year.
 
3). Junior guard Matt Frierson is ranked eighth in the nation in 3-point field goals per game with 3.5. He is scoring 13.3 points per contest this year and shooting 37.7 percent from long range.
 
4). The Citadel is ranked first in the SoCon in 10 statistical categories this season, including points per game (84.8) and total 3-point field goals made (280).
 
5). In the first matchup between the teams held Jan. 11, in Charleston, South Carolina, The Citadel scored 60 points in the second half of play and was led by Zane Najdawi's 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor. Najdawi is the reigning SoCon Player of the Week after averaging 22 points and 8.5 rebounds per game against Wofford and Furman.
 
INSIDE STUFF
Injuries have been prevalent for Samford this year. The Bulldogs' Coleman (leg), Cunningham (illness), JT Mumber (illness), Alex Peters (nose/leg), Sharkey (leg), Alex Thompson (back), Luke Touliatos (illness) and Wyatt Walker (leg) have all been forced out of action at various times this season. The aforementioned players have already missed a combined total of 107 games due to either injury or illness this year.
 
NEXT
Following Saturday's matchup, the Samford University basketball team will next be in action Monday at 7 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs continue their three-game SoCon homestand against the Mercer Bears in a pivotal league contest to be held at the Pete Hanna Center.
 
TWITTER
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordHoopsFOE and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

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