GAME NOTES: Alabama A&M @ Samford (12.9.21)
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Bulldogs (3-6) bring their two game win streak into Thursday, Dec. 9, as Samford hosts the Bulldogs (0-6) of Alabama A&M. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Pete Hanna Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans are encouraged to wear their favorite ugly Christmas sweater to the event.
Samford and Alabama A&M are meeting for the sixth time on the hardwood Thursday. The Bulldogs are 4-1 all-time against AAM, including four wins in row. The two clubs last met on Dec. 3, 2016, as Samford came away with a 61-37 victory at the Pete Hanna Center.
Alabama A&M has struggled out of the gate, going 0-6 so far this year. The Bulldogs dropped a pair of game last week, falling 86-40 at Murray State on Saturday after a heartbreaking 62-61 defeat versus Georgia State on Monday at Elmore Gym in Huntsville.
A balanced scoring effort by 12 different Bulldogs (3-6) powered the Samford to an 88-70 victory over Talladega College (11-2) Monday at the Pete Hanna Center.
Mallory Hampton (18),
Sussy Ngulefac (16),
Natalie Armstrong (12), and
Mattie Hatcher (11) led Samford in scoring while
Annie Ramil finished with a game-high 10 rebounds. Sydni Tears paced Talladega with 21 points and seven rebounds. The victory was the second in a row for the Bulldogs in the homestand with two games remaining this week against Alabama A&M and UAB.
Samford is coming to the end of a formidable non-conference schedule with games against Alabama A&M (12.9), UAB (12.12), Ole Miss (12.17), LSU (12.27), and Kennesaw State (12.29) still on the docket.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:
- The Bulldogs (3-6) of Samford are 3-0 on the season when scoring 75 or more points in a game.
- Despite getting the oppositions best defender every night, junior guard Andrea Cournoyer comes into Thursday's game ranked No. 1 in the SoCon in scoring at 16.1 points and steals (3.6) per game. Cournoyer's 12 points at Troy pushed her past 1,000 in her career. The Merryville, La., native, has 1,038 career points after scoring 489 points in her two seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette and 549 here at Samford. The multi-faceted guard played in 22 games for the Bulldogs while being named the 2020-21 SoCon Player of the Year. Cournoyer averaged a league-high 18.4 points per game while contributing 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. She was also a unanimous selection to the 2020-21 All-SoCon First Team.
- Natalie Armstrong has moved into sixth place on the Samford all-time scoring list with 1,215 points. The 6-2 center has played in 119 games for the Bulldogs, scoring 1,215 points in her illustrious career. The Norcross, Ga., native, has also cleared 597 career rebounds and blocked 130 shots. She is fifth all-time in school history in rebounds and second in blocks.
- The Bulldogs are shooting 41.6 percent from the floor to rank No. 1 in the SoCon. Samford has made 208-of-500 attempts so far this season. Sussy Ngulefac leads the way shooting 69.4 percent followed by Kiersten Nelson at 60.0 percent.
- Samford enters Thursday's showdown with Alabama A&M averaging 63.2 points per game to rank No. 2 in the SoCon. The Bulldogs are also sixth in scoring defense at 68.2 points allowed per contest. Samford scored a season-high 88 points in an 88-70 victory over Talladega College on Monday, Dec. 6 at the Pete Hanna Center.
- Senior guard Shauntai Battle is back after an injury-shortened 2020-21 campaign. The Mobile, Ala., native, is averaging 9.4 points per game so far this season to rank No. 12 in the SoCon. She is fourth in 3-point FG made per game (1.7) as well.
- Preseason All-SoCon selection and junior forward Annie Ramil has been a force on the boards, averaging 7.7 rebounds per game, ranking No. 7 in the league. She turned in a season-high 15 rebounds at No. 9 Iowa.
- Sussy Ngulefac scored a career-high 17 points at Troy and she turned in 16 points on Monday versus Talladega. The Lilburn, Ga., native, continues to grow as an inside threat for the Bulldogs, averaging 6.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
- Samford was picked to finish second in both the Southern Conference Preseason Coaches' & Media Polls. The Bulldogs have captured back-to-back SoCon Regular Season Championships in coach Carley Kuhns first two seasons with Samford. Junior guard Andrea Cournoyer was picked to repeat as the league's Player of the Year while senior center Natalie Armstrong and junior forward Annie Ramil were also named to the All-SoCon Preseason Team.
UP NEXT: UAB
- Samford welcomes crosstown rival UAB to the Pete Hanna Center on Sunday, Dec. 12. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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