BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford women's basketball team will travel to Greensboro, N.C., to face UNC Greensboro in the Southern Conference opener on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
Samford enters conference play at 7-10 after a challenging non-conference slate, leaning on a high-volume, efficient three-point identity that ranks among the nation's best.
The Bulldogs' perimeter firepower headlines the opener. Briana Rivera currently leads the nation in three-pointers made (60), attempts (169), and threes per game (3.53). In the paint, Carla Baguda anchors the defense, ranking 87th nationally and third in the SoCon with 1.38 blocks per game. Kaylee Yarbrough and Aubrey Blankenship add critical scoring while the Bulldogs depth shows with 23.5 bench points per game (second in the league). Yarbrough is on a seven-game double digit scoring streak.
UNC Greensboro enters conference play at 10-5, riding a five-game win streak and a perfect 7-0 home record. The Spartans rank 5th nationally in scoring defense (52.2 PPG allowed) with a top 20 defensive rating (75.6), while averaging 69.1 PPG offensively. UNCG is coming off an 94-39 win over Livingstone University that featured six double-figure scorers. Jeni Levine is the teams leading scorer with 15.8 PPG.
Thursday's Southern Conference opener in Greensboro, N.C., is scheduled to tip off at 6 pm central time and will be available to stream on ESPN+.
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For the latest news and information on Samford women's basketball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at @SamfordWBB (Instagram) and @SamfordWBB (Twitter).
