GAME NOTES: Samford @ San Francisco (11.15.21)
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Bulldogs (2-0, 0-0 SoCon) of Samford University travel to San Francisco, Calif., to start a two game road swing on Monday, Nov. 15 against the Dons (3-0, 0-0 WCC) of the University of San Francisco. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. Central at The Sobrato Center. The game will be broadcast on the West Coast Conference Network. The Bulldogs and Dons are meeting for the first time in series history on the hardwood.    

Samford defeated Spring Hill College on Thursday, Nov. 11 at the Pete Hanna Center in their second game of the season.  Jermaine Marshall recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead Samford. Wesley Cardet, Jr. (14), Ques Glover (12), Jaron Rillie (10), and Jaden Campbell (10) joined Marshall in double digits.  Sam Davidson paced SHC with 18 points.

San Francisco enters Monday's game 3-0 on the year under third-year head coach Todd Golden. USF opened the season with a 98-84 victory over Long Island University and followed with back-to-back victories over Prairie View A&M (92-76) and Davidson (65-60).


SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:
Florida transfer Ques Glover (6-0, 180, So.) has made a  major statement in his first two games for the Bulldogs, scoring a team-high 19 points while handing out three assists versus Maryville and scoring 12 points and grabbing three rebounds in Thursday's win over Spring Hill. The sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn., appeared in 51 games for the Gators, averaging 3.6 points per game. Glover scored a career-high 10 versus No. 6 Tennessee, during his two seasons in Gainesville with the Gators. Prior to UF, the lightning-quick guard starred at Knoxville, Tenn., powerhouse Bearden High School, where he was named the Knoxville News Sentinel's Player of the Year in 2018, averaging 21 points per game while leading BHS to its first TSSAA Class AAA state championship.

Brighton native and Akron transfer Jermaine Marshall (6-6, 225, So.) is averaging 13.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game after his double-double versus Spring Hill. His 7.5 rebounds are No.7 in the SoCon.  

One of the nation's most sought after recruits, Wesley Cardet, Jr. (6-5, 185, Fr.) wasted little time introducing himself to the Southern Conference, scoring 18 points and grabbing four rebounds versus the Maryville and 14 points versus Spring Hill. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native, enters the week ranked No. 11 in the SoCon in scoring at 16.0 points per game. Cardet was the No. 60 ranked player in the nation and No. 13 at his position by Rivals at West Oaks Academy in Orlando, Fla., for coach Kenny Gillion. The four-star combo guard, who averaged 18.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game during his time at West Oaks, is one of the highest-rated student-athletes to ever sign with Samford Men's Basketball.  

The Bulldogs will open the season without two key returners from last year's squad in A.J. Staton-McCray (6-5, 190, Fr.) and Logan Dye (6-9, 240, Jr.). The duo is out indefinitely. Staton-McCray, a Charlotte, N.C., native, averaged 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game en route to being named to the All-SoCon Freshman Team. As a junior, Dye, a Haleyville, Ala., native, played in all 19 games, averaging 9.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Loyola-Chicago transfer Cooper Kaifes (6-4, 205, So.) has been a major force outside the arc for Samford, connecting on 6-of-16 from deep. He scored a career-high 17 points versus Maryville.

Samford is currently third overall in scoring in the SoCon, averaging 92.5 points per game. The Bulldogs are currently allowing 73.5 points per contest to rank No. 6 overall in the league.

Pace of play is the name of the game for the Bulldogs, as Samford ranked No. 1 in the nation a year ago in Possessions Per Game with 91. #BuckyBall had 71.5 possessions thus far this season.  

Samford is leading the SoCon in steals (29) and turnovers forced (49) heading into its games this week at San Francisco and Oregon State.  

Senior center Jacob Tryon (6-11, 220, Sr.) turned in a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds versus Maryville on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs will appear twice at home in the SoCon's NextStar Broadcasting Game of the Week, as Samford welcomes Western Carolina to the Pete Hanna Center on Jan. 8, 2022 followed by East Tennessee State on Jan. 15, 2022. The complete schedule is available at SoConSports.org.


FACE THE FOE: SAN FRANCISCO:
San Francisco enters Monday's game 3-0 on the year under third-year head coach Todd Golden. USF opened the season with a 98-84 victory over Long Island University and followed with back-to-back victories over Prairie View A&M (92-76) and Davidson (65-60).

The Dons average 85.0 points per game and are led in scoring by Jamaree Bouyea, a 6-2 graduate guard, who averages 17.3 points per game. Khalil Shabazz (14.3 ppg) and Gabe Stefanini (12.3 ppg) also average in double figures for San Francisco.

San Francisco was picked to finish fifth overall in the annual WCC Preseason Coaches Poll. Guards Jamaree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz were selected to the All-WCC Preseason Team as well. Gonzaga was tabbed to win its 10th consecutive WCC title.

The Dons are allowing 66.7 points per game after surrendering just 60 points in a 65-60 win over Davidson.  


UP NEXT:
The Bulldogs continue their two-game road swing on Thursday, as Samford travels to Corvalis, Ore., to face the Oregon State Beavers. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be broadcvast on the Pac-12 Networks.


FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS: