Samford University's men's basketball team goes into tonight's game at Jacksonville State headed in the same direction as the Gamecocks.
Coach Jimmy Tillette's Bulldogs are 5-6 and riding a three-game losing streak. Mike LaPlante's Gamecocks are 4-8 and mired in a six-game skid. Samford lost three straight road games - at Bradley, IUPUI and Notre Dame. JSU is coming off a pair of road losses to SEC contenders Mississippi State and Arkansas. The Gamecocks lost a lead late in a 73-67 setback at Arkansas in their last outing.
"Everybody likes to get off to a good start in the conference," said Tillette, who is 119-95 in his eighth season at Samford. "We haven't had much success over there. We've lost three years in a row at Jacksonville."
Samford's broadcast of the 7:30 p.m. game can be heard on FM-91.1. Jacksonville State's broadcast can be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio on Channel 110.
Samford leads the Ohio Valley Conference in six statistical categories, including scoring defense (57.9 points a game), 3-point field goal percentage (41.3 percent) and 3-pointers made (8.18 per game).
The Bulldogs are led by junior J. Robert Merritt's 15.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore Randall Gulina is second in scoring at 10.9 points a game.
Samford has two senior starters - Jon Mills and Bryan Boerjan - to go along with the junior Merritt and sophomores Gulina and point guard Jerry Smith.
Guard Walker Russell is leading Jacksonville State in scoring and in rebounding. The junior averages 15.1 points a game and grabs four rebounds an outing. Russell averages 7.1 assists a game as well.
Junior guard B.J. Spencer averages 11.7 points a game for the Gamecocks. Freshman forward Dorien Brown was named OVC freshman of the week for the second straight week on Monday. Brown is averaging 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.
Samford has won 10 of the past 16 games against the Gamecocks, but is 14-22 in games at Jacksonville.
JSU's LaPlante is 60-66 in his fifth season as head coach.
Coach Jimmy Tillette's Bulldogs are 5-6 and riding a three-game losing streak. Mike LaPlante's Gamecocks are 4-8 and mired in a six-game skid. Samford lost three straight road games - at Bradley, IUPUI and Notre Dame. JSU is coming off a pair of road losses to SEC contenders Mississippi State and Arkansas. The Gamecocks lost a lead late in a 73-67 setback at Arkansas in their last outing.
"Everybody likes to get off to a good start in the conference," said Tillette, who is 119-95 in his eighth season at Samford. "We haven't had much success over there. We've lost three years in a row at Jacksonville."
Samford's broadcast of the 7:30 p.m. game can be heard on FM-91.1. Jacksonville State's broadcast can be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio on Channel 110.
Samford leads the Ohio Valley Conference in six statistical categories, including scoring defense (57.9 points a game), 3-point field goal percentage (41.3 percent) and 3-pointers made (8.18 per game).
The Bulldogs are led by junior J. Robert Merritt's 15.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore Randall Gulina is second in scoring at 10.9 points a game.
Samford has two senior starters - Jon Mills and Bryan Boerjan - to go along with the junior Merritt and sophomores Gulina and point guard Jerry Smith.
Guard Walker Russell is leading Jacksonville State in scoring and in rebounding. The junior averages 15.1 points a game and grabs four rebounds an outing. Russell averages 7.1 assists a game as well.
Junior guard B.J. Spencer averages 11.7 points a game for the Gamecocks. Freshman forward Dorien Brown was named OVC freshman of the week for the second straight week on Monday. Brown is averaging 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.
Samford has won 10 of the past 16 games against the Gamecocks, but is 14-22 in games at Jacksonville.
JSU's LaPlante is 60-66 in his fifth season as head coach.
