GAME NOTES -- SAMFORD at TULANE (PDF)

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Samford men's basketball team kicks off its 2025-26 campaign on Monday night with a trip to face the Tulane Green Wave. The game is set to tip at 7:30 pm in New Orleans, as head coach Lennie Acuff takes the reins of the Bulldog program.
 

The Bulldogs and Green Wave have met 10 times in program history, with Tulane holding an 8-2 series lead. The two sides haven't met since 1998 when Samford defeated the Green Wave 76-73. Samford is under the leadership of first-season head coach Lennie Acuff, who comes to Samford after spending the past six seasons at Lipscomb. Acuff led the Bisons to 20 wins in three straight seasons and a trip to the NCAA Tournament after winning the ASUN in the regular season and conference tournament.

The coaching staff isn't the only new part of the Samford program, as Zion Wilburn is the lone Bulldog regular who returns from last season's 22-11 team. He played in 20 games, playing just over 5 minutes per game. • Caleb Harrison returns after taking a redshirt last season as a true freshman, while Corey Brown and Joshua Hughes return as walk-ons.

The Bulldogs brought in 13 newcomers, three freshmen and 10 transfers. Expect the trio of transfers Jadin Booth, Keaton Norris, and Dylan Faulkner to lead Samford on the offensive end. Booth is a 1,500 career point scorer at the Division II level, the past four seasons at Florida Southern. Norris was the starting point guard at Wright State last season and brings nearly 100 games of DI playing experience. Faulkner joins coach Acuff after spending his first two seasons at Lipscomb, where he was a constant rim presence on both ends, near the top of the ASUN in blocks per game. 
 

The Bulldogs were selected to finish third in the SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll behind Chattanooga and Furman while Booth and Faulkner were selected to the Preseason SoCon Team.
 

Tulane is coming off a 19-15 season last year where they went 12-6 in American Conference play. The Green Wave lost to Memphis 78-77 in the semifinals of the AAC Tournament last year. Head coach Ron Hunter is in his seventh season at the helm of the Tulane program, coming off his second-best season in the 2024-25 year. The Green Wave were selected third in the American Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. Tulane is led by Rowan Brumbaugh who is the Preseason Player of the Year. He was a first-team all conference player last year, averaging 15.7 ppg and 4.8 apg.

The game can be seen on ESPN+, and live stats can be followed here.

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