Dec. 14, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University basketball team will continue its four-game homestand Saturday at 2 p.m., against the Reinhardt Eagles. The non-conference matchup will be held in Samford's Seibert Hall in the first game played in the 46-year-old facility since Feb. 24.

The Bulldogs are playing in Seibert Hall due to Samford's inaugural graduation scheduled at the same time in the brand-new Pete Hanna Center.

The matchup will be broadcast locally by play-by-play specialist Kevin Henslee on WVSU 91.1 FM and via the internet at www.al.com/wvsu.

Samford (3-4) heads into the game looking to continue its winning ways after defeating in-state and Ohio Valley Conference-rival Jacksonville State live on ESPNU on Dec. 6. The Bulldogs' victory against the Gamecocks was their fourth-straight in the series, and the team was led in scoring by both Joe Ross Merritt and Travis Peterson. Each of Samford's senior leaders finished with 13 points in the nationally-televised win.

The Bulldogs are the 19th-ranked team in the nation in scoring defense.

So far this season, Samford is only allowing 57 points per game and is not far behind the nation's leading team, Arkansas-Little Rock, which is allowing a stingy 51.8 points per contest.

Samford is also ranked amongst the top-50 teams in the nation in both fewest personal fouls per game (16.3) and field-goal percentage defense (38.9).

Reinhardt (2-11) enters the contest with aspirations of snapping a three-game losing streak. The Eagles have been defeated in five of their previous six games and haven't been victorious since earning a 115-54 win against Champion Baptist on Dec. 1.

Reinhardt is the last-place team in the Southern States Athletic Conference. The Eagles are 0-3 in league play this season and have recently suffered conference losses to Southern Wesleyan 82-75, Faulkner 83-79 and Auburn-Montgomery 86-71.

Reinhardt boasts three players averaging double figures in scoring this season.

Freshman swingman Walter Rush leads the team with 13.6 points per game, while senior guard Victor Stowes and freshman guard Aaron Darling follow with 12 and 10.3 points per contest, respectively. The Eagles are coached by Jeff Pourchier, who is in his first season.

Samford will face Reinhardt for the first time in school history Saturday.

Reinhardt, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the SSAC, has competed at the NAIA level since the fall of 1999. Earlier this year, Samford defeated NAIA-foe Brewton-Parker 73-30.

In Samford's previous two home games, the Bulldogs only allowed the opposition to score a combined total of 64 points.

On Nov. 24, Samford limited Brewton-Parker College to 30 points in a lopsided 73-30 victory in the Pete Hanna Center. Then, in the Bulldogs' most recent home game Dec. 6, Samford defeated Jacksonville State 41-34 and held the Gamcocks to their lowest scoring output since the 1958-59 season.

In Samford's sophisticated and unique version of the "Princeton Offense", head coach Jimmy Tillette generally prefers to redshirt his players for a season before they begin to see game action as redshirt freshmen.

The extra year is beneficial for the players as they use the season to practice with the team and learn the offense. Heading into this season, Curtis West, the Bulldogs' 6-foot senior from Baton Rouge, La., was the lone returning player on the roster who was not redshirted as a freshman.

This year, Tillette has made it known that he doesn't have any qualms about letting this year's freshman class earn some playing time. The 2007-08 freshman class consists of Josh Bedwell, Josh Davis and Matthew Friday, and both Bedwell and Davis have already seen the court this season.

Following Samford's non-conference matchup against Reinhardt on Saturday, the Bulldogs will continue play in its current four-game homestand Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., as they resume OVC play against the Southeast Missouri Redhawks.

The key early-season OVC showdown will be held at the Pete Hanna Center.

Samford Basketball Game Notes