GAME NOTES -- SAMFORD at ETSU  (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford men's basketball team heads back out on the road as they continue Southern Conference play on Saturday afternoon against ETSU. The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. CST tip as the Bulldogs look to keep their gap atop the league standings. The Dogs enter the game with a 19-5 record overall and a 9-2 SoCon mark while the Bucs enter at 14-10 on their year and 7-4 in league play.

The Samford Bulldogs defeated Mercer in the Pete Hanna Center in their last game 100-79. They completed the season sweep over Mercer and sit a game and a half clear of Chattanooga and UNCG atop the SoCon standings. Six different Bulldogs scored in double-figures against the Bears, three starters and three off the bench, led by Rylan Jones who scored 23 points on a career-high 7-of-9 three-point shooting performance. As a team, the Dogs knocked down 22 three-pointers which was one shy of tying the school record and is the best mark in the nation this year against a division I opponent.

The Bulldogs and Bucs meet for the 25th time in series history with ETSU holding a 17-7 series lead all-time. Samford saw their 28-game home-winning streak snapped when the two sides met earlier this season as the Dogs fell 65-60. The Bulldogs were held to 37 percent shooting against the Bucs which marks the lowest shooting percentage in league play this season. Rylan Jones and Collin Holloway were the only Bulldogs to reach double figures in the game as they finished with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Samford is seventh in the country in caused turnovers forced per game at 16.42 and is third in the nation in three-pointers made per game. Samford sits 94th in the NET rankings, the highest-ranked team in the Southern Conference ahead of UNCG who sits 125th.

ETSU enters the game with a 14-10 record overall on the season and is 7-4 in Southern Conference play. The Bucs have won their last two games, beating Furman 72-69 and defeating VMI 62-55. Head coach Brooks Savage is in his second season as the head coach of the Buccaneers. ETSU had dropped their last six games against the Bulldogs before their win at the Pete Hanna Center earlier this season. They were 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 and the duo leads ETSU in scoring both over 17 ppg.

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