The Samford Bulldogs (11-14) look to end their six-game losing streak when they meet the Citadel Bulldogs (10-14) at McAlister Field House. Action starts at 6:00 pm ET on Monday, Feb. 8 and can be seen on ES3.
The Bulldogs were beaten by Mercer 88-72 on Saturday. Quinton Marshall was the team’s high scorer, contributing 18 points. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are coming off a bitter 78-75 loss to Wofford on Saturday. Darius Jones-Gibson had a game-high 21 points.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Bulldogs winning the first matchup 94-74. Jones-Gibson had a stellar game with 26 points, six rebounds, and nine assists.
The Bulldogs are hoping to improve on their records of 10-14 Straight Up (SU) and 8-8 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 1-9 ATS. The Bulldogs have no trouble scoring as they lead the nation in offense with 88.7 points per game. The Bulldogs are one of the best in Division I in terms of three-point field goals, making 11.0 shots per game from beyond the arc. Spreading the ball around is a huge part of Citadel’s offense. They are 24th in the nation in assists with an average of 16.7 per game. The Citadel defense has been shutting down opposing offenses over the past 10 games, only allowing an average of 75.7 points per game, well under their season average of 92.9. The Bulldogs are the sixth-best team in the country at taking the ball away from their opponents, averaging 9.5 steals per game.
Across the court, Samford has a SU record of 11-14 and an ATS record of 10-12. Offensively, the Bulldogs have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 72.9 points per game by averaging 84.0 during that stretch. The Bulldogs get to the line and convert their free throws at a high volume, ranking 45th in the nation with 408 made (16.0 per game). The Bulldogs average 72.6 points allowed per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 93.9 points per game during that span. Samford may be taking trips to the free throw line early and often with the Bulldogs averaging a Division I-high 25.0 fouls per game.
Samford beat Citadel in their most recent meeting this season, but the win was not enough to overtake Citadel in their recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 3-7 SU over the most recent meetings. Additionally, with a 6-4 record, Citadel has the advantage ATS. Neither team was able to hold the edge in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers over the course of their latest five contests.
Predictions: SU Winner – Cit, ATS Winner – Cit
Notes
Citadel leads all teams in points per game this season, averaging 88.7 points. Conversely, Samford allows a whopping 72.6 points per game (ranked 164th).
Samford lost its last game by a three-point margin. In games decided by a margin of three points or less, Citadel is 4-1. Samford is 1-4 in close games this season.
The Citadel Bulldogs average a field goal percentage of 42.9% this season. The Samford Bulldogs have a losing record of 5-12 when opponents have a FG% of 42.9% or greater.
The Citadel Bulldogs rank lower for their field goal percentage (241st) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (126th), but the Samford Bulldogs have a better FG% ranking (118th) than eFG% ranking (180th).
The Citadel Bulldogs rank 24th in assists per game with an average of 16.7. The Samford Bulldogs are among the worst in the country with 13.8 assists per game (ranked 144th).
The Citadel Bulldogs rank sixth in steals this season, with an average of 9.5 per game. When the Samford Bulldogs allow at least 9 steals, they have a winning 3-1 record.
