GAME NOTES--SAMFORD AT WESTERN CAROLINA (PDF)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford women's basketball team (5-10, 0-1 SoCon) will travel to Cullowhee, N.C., to take on the Western Carolina Catamounts (6-10, 0-2 SoCon) Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT) at the Ramsey Center. The game can be seen live on ESPN+, and live stats will be available at www.CatamountSports.com.
- Samford and Western Carolina are meeting for the 30th time, with Samford owning a 25-4 series lead. The teams played twice last season, with Samford winning both contests. The Bulldogs won the first game, 84-49, and the second contest, 64-47, with both games being played in Cullowhee, N.C.
- Samford last played on Jan. 10, when the Bulldogs dropped a 71-69, double-overtime battle to Chattanooga in Samford's SoCon opener. Andrea Cournoyer led Samford with 17 points and seven rebounds. Sussy Ngulefac posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Shauntai Battle added 11 points, while Natalie Armstrong posted nine points and eight rebounds.
- Western Carolina is coming off a 71-59 loss at Furman on Jan. 8. Madison Pack led the Catamounts with 18 points. Bailey Trumm had 12 points, while Nadia Marshall had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
- Western Carolina is averaging 57.3 points per game entering Thursday night's contest, while giving up 58.1 points per game.
- Western Carolina is led in scoring by Nadia Marshall, averaging 11.2 points per game. Marshall also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 7.1 boards per contest. Zanoria Cruz is scoring 9.1 points per game, while Vanessa Oduah is averaging 7.9 points per game for the Catamounts.
- Andrea Cournoyer comes into Thursday night's game leading the SoCon in scoring at 17.7 points per game while also leading in both steals (3.3) per game and in free throw percentage (.900).
- Samford is 1-7 in road games so far this season. The Bulldogs' lone road win so far this season came in the team's last road contest. On Dec. 30, Samford overcame a 15-point deficit to force overtime and eventually earn a 78-75 win at North Alabama.
- The Bulldogs are 5-0 when scoring 75 or more points in a game so far this season.
- Samford is averaging 62.3 points per game to rank third in the SoCon. The Bulldogs are also sixth in scoring defense at 70.4 points allowed per contest.
- Since joining the Southern Conference in 2008, Samford has posted a record of 131-85 in league games. Against the current members of the SoCon, Samford has an all-time record of 115-83. Samford's all-time record against each current SoCon school is: Chattanooga (9-27), ETSU (9-7), Furman (17-13), Mercer (9-19), UNCG (21-7), Western Carolina (25-4) and Wofford (25-6).
- Sussy Ngulefac (6-3, Fr., F) has made 65.1 percent of her shots so far this season, which currently leads the Southern Conference. The Lilburn, Ga., native, continues to grow as an inside threat for the Bulldogs, averaging 8.1 points and 5.0 rebounds. She posted her first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds Monday night against Chattanooga.
- Sanaa Redmond enters the week fifth in the league in assists at 2.8 per game. The freshman from Philadelphia, Pa., had a career-high nine assists in the Bulldogs' win over Montevallo.
- The Bulldogs are shooting 40.6 percent from the floor to rank first in the SoCon. Samford has made 351-of-864 attempts so far this season. Sussy Ngulefac leads the way shooting 65.1 percent.
- Shauntai Battle is averaging 7.9 points per game to rank 22nd in the SoCon. She also ranks seventh in 3-point FG made per game (1.5) as well.
- Preseason All-SoCon selection and junior forward Annie Ramil has been a force on the boards, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game, ranking seventh in the league. She tied a career-high with 16 in the recent win at North Alabama.
- Mallory Hampton is off to a good start this season, ranking 10th in the SoCon in assists per game (2.5).
- As a team, Samford has done a good job of defending the three-point shot so far this season. The Bulldogs have limited their opponents to just 29.3 percent from beyond the arc, ranking third in the Southern Conference.
- In two-plus seasons under head coach Carley Kuhns, Samford is 21-7 in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs won a share of the SoCon regular season title in her first season with a 10-4 mark in conference play. Last season, she led the Bulldogs to an 11-2 record in Southern Conference record, winning the program's first outright SoCon regular season championship.
UP NEXT
- Following Wednesday night's game at Western Carolina, Samford will stay on the road to play at UNCG on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. (CT) in Greensboro, N.C. Samford's next home contest is scheduled for Jan. 20 when the Bulldogs host Wofford at 6 p.m. in the Pete Hanna Center.
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