GAME NOTES: Covenant College @ Samford (12.1.20)
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The #BuckyBall Era of Samford University Men's Basketball continues on Tuesday, Dec. 1, as the Bulldogs (0-1, 0-0 SoCon) play host to the Scots (0-0, 0-0 USAS) of Covenant College. Tipoff is set for 2 PM at Pete Hanna Center and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Curt Bloom (PxP) and Boyd Kaiser (Color) will have the call.  

Tuesday's matchup versus Covenant College marks the fourth meeting between the two schools. Samford defeated the Scots, 95-54, on Dec. 20, 2002 in their last matchup in Birmingham. Covenant owns the distinction of being the opponent for Samford's most convincing victory, a 70-point win, 118-48, on Dec. 8, 1964.

Christian Guess posted a double-double in the season-opener versus Alabama A&M, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The North Idaho College transfer was 10-of-14 from the field and 2-of-3 from the line. 

Junior forward Logan Dye scored a career-high 21 points on Sunday versus the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M. The Haleyville, Ala., native, finished 8-of-9 from the floor.
 

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BULLDOGS TO HOST COVENANT TUESDAY: Tuesday's game versus Covenant College marks the fourth meeting between the two schools. Samford defeated the Scots, 95-54, on Dec. 20, 2002 in their last matchup in Birmingham. Covenant owns the distinction of being the opponent for Samford's most convincing victory, a 70-point win, 118-48, on Dec. 8, 1964. 

ALABAMA A&M EDGES BULLDOGS 78-76: The Samford men's basketball team opened its regular season with a dramatic, 78-76 loss to Alabama A&M Sunday afternoon in the Pete Hanna Center. With the loss, Samford falls to 0-1 on the season. Alabama A&M improves to 1-0. Christian Guess posted a double-double in the loss, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Logan Dye scored a career-high 21 points in the contest. Myron Gordon added 16 points for Samford. Jalen Johnson led Alabama A&M with 28 points.

BUCKYBALL BURSTS ONTO NATIONAL STAGE: Samford wasted little time introducing the nation to #BuckyBall, as the Bulldogs overwhelmed the Panthers of Greenville University, 174-99, on Wednesday in an exhibition at the Pete Hanna Center. Myron Gordon's 28 points paced the Bulldogs while senior forward Jacob Tryon added a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman guard A.J. Staton-McCray added 19 points and Tristan Chambers chipped in 16. In total, 10 Bulldogs scored in double-figures and 14 of the 16 who played scored points. Wednesday's victory established a number of new exhibition game records for the Bulldogs including points in a game (174), points in a half (102), FGs made (71), FGs attempted (111), turnovers forced (41), assists (42), and margin of victory (75).  

TURNING OVER THE ROSTER: Coach McMillan's biggest challenge this offseason was assembling a roster in the midst of a global pandemic. As Samford marches toward the season-opener Nov. 25 versus Martin Methodist, the Bulldogs have 18 on the roster, including 15 newcomers or transfers. The 2020-21 roster features six seniors, four juniors, two sophomores and six freshman.

SAMFORD TIPS OFF 103RD SEASON: The Bulldogs officially tip off the 103rd season in Samford University Men's Basketball history on Sunday, Nov. 29 versus Alabama A&M. SU has won 1,125 games in its previous 102 seasons, including eight-straight home openers. 
 

FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACHES AT SAMFORD: Bucky McMillan, who won 332 games and five Alabama state championships in 13 seasons at Mountain Brook High School, enters his first season as head coach of Samford men's basketball. In Samford's 47-year NCAA Division I history, Bulldog head coaches have amassed a 93-137 record in their first year on the sidelines. Mel Hankinson owns the school record for first-year skippers with 18 wins in 1984-85.

BULLDOG BITES
• Christian Guess posted a double-double in the season-opener versus Alabama A&M, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The North Idaho College transfer was 10-of-14 from the field and 2-of-3 from the line. 

• Junior forward Logan Dye scored a career-high 21 points on Sunday versus the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M. The Haleyville, Ala., native, 8-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-2 from 3-point range. He also cleared seven rebounds. 

• Myron Gordon, a semior from Bordentown, N.J., added 16 points for Samford versus Alabama A&M. Gordon started all 33 games, one of just three players on the team to do so in 2018-19 while averaging 12.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. The 6-3 guard scored in double figures 23 times, including a career-high 25 points, making 9-of-11 shots from the floor against Western Carolina. He also tallied 23 points at The Citadel and scored 22 points and a season-high five rebounds against Belmont.

• History was made on Sunday versus Alabama A&M, as Jacob Tryon, K.J. Davis, A.J. Staton-McCray, Preston Parks, and Richardson Maitre started the first game under new head coach Bucky McMillan.

• A.J. Staton-McCray made his collegiate debut on Sunday, scoring five points and grabbing three rebounds versus the Bulldogs.