GAME NOTES -- SAMFORD vs. ETSU  (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford men's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Pete Hanna Center tomorrow as they host ETSU in a Southern Conference matchup. The Bulldogs enter with a 15-3 record on the year and winners six straight while the Buccaneers enter with a 10-8 mark on the season.

The Samford Bulldogs are coming off a thrilling 75-74 victory at Mercer on Wednesday. The Dogs required a late Trey Fort block and Rylan Jones steal before icing the game late at the free-throw line. The win takes the Dogs to 5-0 in the Southern Conference as they are the last unbeaten team in league play and sit atop the conference.

The Bulldogs have been on a roll at home, winning 28 straight home games at the Pete Hanna Center which is tied for the second-longest streak in the nation. 

At 11.4 three-pointers made per game, the Dogs are ranked fourth in the nation despite making just five in their last game at Mercer. Instead, Samford got the job done in the paint against the Bears where they outscored Mercer 42-20. Despite slower scoring since entering conference play, Samford is seventh in the nation in offense, scoring 86.8 points per game. 

Samford sits 94th in the NET rankings, ahead of the next SoCon opponent UNCG who is 108. The same UNCG team is one game behind the Bulldogs in the SoCon standings. Defensively, Samford still relies on the press and turns it into forcing 17.5 turnovers per game which is second-best in the country.

Rylan Jones is 17th in assists with 106, while as a team they are 15th in the country in assists per game, averaging 17.9. Jaden Brownell is coming off an 18-point game and continues to be one of the most efficient scorers in the country. He is second on the team in scoring at 14.6 ppg while shooting 58.1% which is 35th in the country.

ETSU enters the game with a 10-8 record and is 3-2 in SoCon play. The Bucs are coming off a 73-70 defeat at Furman in their last contest and has dropped their last six games against the Bulldogs. Head coach Brooks Savage is in his second season as the head coach of the Buccaneers with his side picked to finish third in the SoCon Preseason Poll and received two first-place votes. The Bucs Quimari Peterson and Jaden Seymour named to the All-SoCon team. The duo leads ETSU in scoring both over 16 ppg.

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For the latest news and information on Samford men's basketball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordSports (Facebook), @SamfordMBB (Twitter), and @SamfordMBB (Instagram).