Dec. 20, 2002

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TIPOFF: Saturday Dec. 21, 2002, 6 p.m. McKenzie Arena; Chattanooga, Tenn.

SAMFORD: Samford is 4-4 on the season and will be looking to avenge a 68-66 loss to Chattanooga in the season opener. Phillip Ramelli leads Samford averaging 12.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Rameilli is 4th in the A-Sun in FG percentage at 62 percent. The Samford record for best FG percentage is 60.5 percent by Randy Morgan in 1974-75. J. Robert Merritt is establishing himself as one of the top freshmen in the Atlantic Sun this season. He is ranked in the A-Sun in three statistical categories. He is 11th in FG percentage, 3rd in 3-pt. percentage, and 8th in 3-pointers made per game. Tyson Dorsey scored a career high 27 points against Chattanooga in the first meeting hitting on 7 of 12 3-point attempts.

CHATTANOOGA: The Mocs are 6-2 on the season after falling 89-84 to Kent State on Wednesday. UTC had won five straight games before facing Kent State. Ashley Champion who was a perfect 12-12 for 30 points in the first meeting is currently 6th in the nation in field goal percent at 69.7 percent. The Mocs are 26th in the nation in team FG percentage shooting 49.6 percent from the floor. Champion leads UTC averaging 16.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest. Tim Parker is averaging 12.8 points and is an 85 percent (17-20) free throw shooter. Aaron Morgan is 18th in the nation in blocks. He has 19 rejections in eight games. The Mocs rank 6th nationally in rebounding margin pulling down 10.3 more rebounds than their opponents. Unlike Samford, this is UTC's fourth straight home game. They are 3-1 at McKenzie Arena this season.

INSIDE STUFF: Chattanooga leads the all-time series 42-33 after winning 68-66 on Nov. 22. The Mocs have a 27-13 advantage in games played in Chattanooga. The first ever meeting between the two schools was in Birmingham on Feb. 12, 1926. UTC won 23-12. Chattanooga has won the last six meetings in the series. Samford's last win was in Birmingham on Feb. 21, 1974.

AIR: The game can be heard on WVSU 91.1-FM and the internet at www.samfordsports.com.

NEXT: Samford will have a couple of days off for Christmas before traveling to South Alabama on Dec. 28. The game in Mobile is set for a 7:05 tip.