GAME NOTES: The Furman Paladins open their Southern Conference schedule on Saturday afternoon against the visiting Samford Bulldogs.

Samford opened its SoCon slate at home against new league member VMI on Thursday night and came away with an 88-66 loss. They Bulldogs have dropped three of their last four outings as they now embark on a three-game road swing. The team has lost all four of its road games so far this season.

Meanwhile, Furman enters this tilt hoping to snap a three-game slide. The Paladins were last in action on Monday at Liberty, where they were turned away in a 66-52 final. Following this contest, they will be back on the road for four straight and six of their next seven games.

Furman owns a 10-6 series lead, although Samford swept both meetings last season.

In Thursday's loss to VMI, Samford committed 20 turnovers that led to 25 points for the Keydets. Those miscues were a key factor in the outcome as VMI turned the ball over just 10 times for the game. Samford was also outscored at the foul line, 25-10. Tyler Hood and Darius Jones-Gibson shared team-high honors with 13 points apiece in the loss, while Michael Bradley recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. On the season, Hood leads the team with 10.4 ppg. Christen Cunningham is the only other player averaging double figures with 10.1 ppg. The Bulldogs are shooting just 38.6 percent from the floor as a team, while opponents are shooting 47.2 percent.

The Paladins have endured similar struggles as they are shooting just 38 percent, compared to an even 50 percent for the opposition. Stephen Croone is the only player averaging double figures with 13.0 ppg, albeit on just 33.3- percent shooting. Furman led Liberty by one at halftime earlier this week but then shot just 28 percent from the floor in the second stanza, including a 2- of-14 effort from the perimeter. The Paladins were also outscored in the paint, 32-16, and were outrebounded by 12. Croone finished with a team-high 13 points to go along with eight rebounds and four steals. However, he made only 3-of-11 field-goal attempts while fellow guard John Davis was just 3-of-12.

Neither of these teams is playing a particularly good brand of basketball of late, and both offenses have been downright dreadful for long stretches. Samford has won the last two meetings, but is winless on the road so far this season.