Feb. 8, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University basketball team will face one of its toughest challenges of the 2007-08 campaign Saturday as the Bulldogs travel to Clarksville, Tenn., for an Ohio Valley Conference matchup against the first-place Austin Peay Governors. The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m., in Dave Aaron Arena.

Fans unable to attend the contest in person can listen to Samford's Kevin Henslee call the game live on WVSU 91.1 FM and via the internet at www.samford.edu/groups/wvsu.

Samford (11-12, 8-7 OVC) heads into Saturday's matchup riding the positive momentum of a two-game winning streak.

Last week, the Bulldogs picked up a key 65-59 victory at Tennessee State and then returned home for a decisive 65-52 win against Eastern Illinois. The Bulldogs have been victorious in three of their previous four games, including an eye-opening 63-49 triumph at home versus the Governors on Jan. 26.

Samford owns a 5-6 record in road games this season and is shooting a solid 37.3 percent from 3-point range.

Austin Peay (16-9, 12-3 OVC) enters tonight's game as the top team in the conference. The Governors have won three-straight games and are coming off a lopsided 72-52 victory against Eastern Illinois on Thursday.

Austin Peay has been victorious in 11 of its previous 14 contests and is being led in scoring by Drake Reed's 15.4 points per game. Reed, the Governors' 6-foot-5 junior from Clarksville, Tenn., is the reigning OVC Player of the Year, but only scored five points in Austin Peay's first meeting with Samford.

Samford trails Austin Peay 6-13 in the all-time series between the teams.

Since the Bulldogs joined the OVC in 2003, the Governors have compiled an 8-3 advantage in the rivalry. When squaring off against Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn., Samford holds a 1-7 record, with its lone win occurring Dec. 5, 1995.

In Samford's 63-49 victory over Austin Peay exactly two weeks ago, Joe Ross Merritt scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. The Bulldogs' 6-foot-4 sharpshooter from Oklahoma City, Okla., knocked down three 3-pointers and added five rebounds and five assists.

Samford is the top-ranked team in the nation in fewest personal fouls per game.

The Bulldogs are only averaging 14.1 fouls per contest and have only allowed opponents to shoot a total of 312 free throws this season. Samford is also ranked among the nation's leaders in scoring defense and 3-point field goals per game. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 13 in scoring defense (58.8 ppg) and No. 60 in 3-point field goals per game (8.0).

Samford has made at least one 3-point field goal in 494-consecutive games.

The last game in which Samford did not make a 3-point basket was on Jan. 19, 1991, against Texas-San Antonio. The Bulldogs have also made at least two 3-pointers in 463-straight contests dating back to Feb. 8, 1992, when Samford finished 1-of-6 from beyond the arc against Mercer.

UNLV is the national leader in consecutive games with a 3-point field goal as the Running Rebels have made a 3-point basket in 687-straight games dating back to the 1986-87 season. Vanderbilt (685) and Kentucky (670) are the only other two schools that have made at least one 3-point basket since the rule was adopted in 1986.

Upon his arrival at Samford in 2005, forward Bryan Friday needed to choose a number. The Bulldogs' 6-foot-6 forward from Grapevine, Texas, mulled the decision over for a few days and decided that he wanted to wear No. 13. He made the decision because of the word-play on his last name "Friday the 13th".

Samford has recently suffered a pair of injuries to key players, including a setback to one of its starting guards.

In practice on Jan. 30, redshirt freshman Gaby Bermudez suffered a dislocated shoulder to his non-shooting (left) arm. The injury occurred when the Bulldogs' 6-for-4 guard from Miami, Fla., was diving for a loose ball. Bermudez is most likely out for the season and was averaging 13.6 minutes and 1.7 points per game.

The following day, Samford's starting two-guard Josh Bedwell suffered a high-ankle sprain in a 65-59 victory against Tennessee State. The Bulldogs' 6-foot native of Hartselle, Ala., is questionable for Saturday's game at Austin Peay. He started in 16 of the team's 23 games this year.

Following Samford's tough OVC matchup at Austin Peay on Saturday, the Bulldogs will return home to Birmingham to begin a crucial two-game OVC homestand against Morehead State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., in the Pete Hanna Center. Samford will then play Eastern Kentucky on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.

Samford Basketball Game Notes
Live Stats - Samford at Austin Peay