Samford Basketball is now in full swing, as both the men’s and women’s squads tipped off, with both games hosted by Samford in a raucous Pete Hanna Center. The men beat Anderson University 109-85, while the women fell to the Troy Trojans 66-62.
The men were boosted by a packed house, as the game versus Anderson set the record for the largest attendance in a season opener, with 2,931 fans. Coach Bucky McMillan was quick to credit the fans postgame, saying “The attendance was just great. The students picked up right where we left off last year. The fans showed up, hats off to them.”
The Bulldogs’ effort was prolific, as six players scored in double figures. Jermaine Marshall paced the team with a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds. Ques Glover also added 17 points with four assists. Jaden Campbell was a spark plug off the bench, adding 16 points with three three-pointers. Logan Dye was a beast in the paint, as the center finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Samford’s newcomers also added to the blowout, as transfers Bubba Parham and Nathan Johnson added 16 and 10 points, respectively. With so many options to score and depth on the bench, the Bulldogs look extremely dangerous and as good as advertised with one game under their belt.
The same cannot be said for the Lady Bulldogs, as they fell in a close one to Troy. One of the keys to the Bulldogs’ defeat was the battle on the boards, as Samford gave up 39 offensive rebounds, giving Troy plenty of second chances in their eventual victory. It wasn’t all bad for Samford, though, as Andrea Cournoyer shined for the team. The senior guard led the Bulldogs with 25 points and nine rebounds as she will look to claim her second SoCon Player of the Year trophy in her final campaign. Sussy Ngulefac also added 13 points and eight rebounds.
Overall, judging both teams’ direction after one game is hard. However, both squads fought hard and have many positive developments to build on as the season progresses, to hopefully see themselves in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams will resume play on Thursday, Nov. 10, with the men facing Spring Hill College at home and the women traveling to Nashville to face the Vanderbilt Commodores.
NOTICE: This article was written before the outcomes of the men’s and women’s basketball games on Thursday, Nov. 10. Statistics and records may have changed.
Sports Editor
