GAME NOTES: The Samford Bulldogs again take aim at their first win of the season as they host the Austin Peay Governors in non-conference play at the Pete Hanna Center on Wednesday night.

The Bulldogs, now coached by first-year head man Scott Padgett, went up against some heavy hitters in the first two games of 2014-15, which is why they are still winless. The squad, which is opening up its home schedule with this contest, lost the season opener to Purdue (80-40) on Friday, and then two days later accepted a 63-56 defeat at the hands of Pittsburgh.

As for the Governors, they played two games over the weekend beginning with a 77-70 loss at Western Kentucky, followed by a 68-63 close call at home versus Berea College on Sunday.

In terms of the all-time series between these two former conference foes, with Samford having moved from the Ohio Valley Conference to the Southern Conference recently, the relationship began back in 1973 and favors APSU by a margin of 15-7.

Trailing by as many as 17 points to Berea College, the Governors needed some huge efforts from key performers to battle back and capture a win at home and that's just what they got. Not only did Chris Freeman record a double-double with a team-best 19 points and 10 rebounds, Chris Horton grabbed some of the spotlight as well with a monster triple-double that was comprised of 15 points, 13 boards and a school-record 10 blocked shots. Because of the effort of Horton, the Govs finished with as many blocks (17) as turnovers, and that was perhaps their saving grace.

It was the first triple-double for the program since Trenton Hassell tallied 27 points, 13 boards and 12 assists versus UT-Martin on Feb. 22, 2001.

Zavion Williams contributed another 10 points for a squad that survived despite shooting only 3-of-15 behind the 3-point line, while allowing the visitors to connect on 8-of-17 out on the perimeter.

After two games, Freeman is averaging 16.0 ppg on the strength of 65.0 percent shooting from the field and Horton another 15.0 ppg, to go along with 8.5 rpg and 7.0 blocks per outing.

As for the Bulldogs, their effort against Pittsburgh was nowhere near as monumental, as the program made a mere seven field goals in the first half and shot 32.2 percent from the floor overall, en route to the seven-point road loss. Tyler Hood finished with a team-best 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting beyond the arc, but the rest of his teammates combined to make only 2-of-13 on the outside. Michael Bradley tacked on 10 points and eight rebounds and Christen Cunningham eight points and six of the unit's nine assists.

After two games the stats for the Bulldogs still appear a bit slanted, with the squad averaging only 48.0 ppg and giving up 71.5 ppg. Hood stands as the lone double-digit scorer with his 14.0 ppg, thanks in large part to his 7- of-13 effort behind the 3-point line.

To expect to see Horton with another huge defensive effort against a more competent program would be foolish, but that doesn't mean Austin Peay still can't take care of business and come home with the win.