GAME NOTES -- BRYAN VS. SAMFORD (12/15)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford men's basketball team hosts NAIA Bryan College on Monday afternoon at the Pete Hanna Center. Tip is set for noon central time as the Bulldogs enter the game with a 5-6 record, while the Lions sit 5-8 on the season.
The Bulldogs and the Lions are meeting for the seventh time in program history, with Samford leading the series 6-0. The Dogs are coming off a thrilling 93-90 comeback win over Cornell in their previous game at the Pete last Sunday night. The Bulldogs rallied from a 15-point deficit with 14 minutes remaining to down the Big Red behind hot shooting from the floor. The Bulldogs were led by Jadin Booth, who got back on track by scoring 30 points on 9-of-16 shooting and added five assists. He has scored single digits in the last three games prior to the Cornell game. Booth is leading the Bulldogs in scoring at 18.6 points per game, tied for the lead in the SoCon.
Dylan Faulkner recorded his first career double-double as he finished with a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. The Samford center had 22 points and 9 rebounds at VCU the game prior, both career marks, and was named Southern Conference Player of the Week. Led by the Georgia native, the Bulldogs tied a season-high with their 93 points against the Big Red as they scored 46 points in the paint. The Dogs shot over 50 percent from the field for the first time in their win over Cornell, shooting 55 percent. Cade Norris scored 13 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting performance while Keaton Norris scored nine points and dished out seven assists.
Bryan College enters the game with a 5-8 record on the season. The Lions have won three straight games, including an 81-78 victory over Columbia College in their last game. Bryan has faced three DI opponents in Austin Peay, UNC Asheville, and Lipscomb so far this season. Head coach Jason Laatsch is in his first season with the Lions, after being an assistant at Lee and being a member of Lennie Acuff's staff at Lipscomb. Bryan was picked to finish 11th in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll and is led by Jerry Taylor Jr., who is averaging 11.8 points per game.
The game can be seen on ESPN+ here and live stats can be followed here.
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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).
