GAME NOTES -- SAMFORD vs. WESTERN CAROLINA (1/7/26)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford men's basketball team returns to the Pete Hanna Center for the sixth time this season as it hosts Western Carolina for the Southern Conference home opener. The Bulldogs enter with an 8-7 record while the Catamounts carry a 5-8 mark on the season.

Samford returns home to host Western Carolina for their first Southern Conference game in the Pete Hanna Center. The Bulldogs and Catamounts are meeting for the 35th time in program history, with Samford leading the all-time series 20-14, and have won the previous nine meetings between the two programs.

 The Bulldogs are coming off a 1-1 road trip where they defeated VMI and lost at UNCG 89-82. The Dogs were by the two-headed scoring combo of Jadin Booth and Dylan Faulkner. The duo scores 36.1 points per game, which is tied for the 20th most among teammates in the country.

Booth led the team in scoring, with 21 of his 26 points coming in the second half. Dylan Faulkner tied his career-high with 25 points while pulling down four rebounds and adding four blocks. Starting point guard Keaton Norris added 14 points, knocking down four threes, while adding seven rebounds and five assists. The Dogs had 19 assists on 29 made field goals and are second in the SoCon in assist-to-turnover ratio. Cade Norris has been a constant contributor as a starter for the Bulldogs, coming off a team-high 9 rebounds, and is averaging 8.2 points per game.

Western Carolina enters the game with a 5-8 record on the season and are coming off an 80-77 overtime win at Furman in their previous game. Head coach Tim Craft is in his second season at WCU after spending the previous 11 years at Gardner-Webb. Western Carolina was picked to finish seventh in the SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll. Marcus Keel was named a Preseason All-Conference Player and leads the Catamounts in scoring at 13.2 points per game.

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

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