Wofford @ Samford preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 24, 2019 ) Samford 106, Wofford 107

Wofford can become the first Southern Conference team to finish undefeated in the regular season since Stephen Curry and Davidson in 2007-08 when the 25th-ranked Terriers visit Samford on Saturday in search of their 17th straight win. Wofford didn’t show any jitters after being ranked for the first time in its history earlier in the week with an 80-54 rout at Chattanooga on Thursday and will be alert against Samford, which nearly beat the Terriers on Jan. 24.

“It would be awesome,” Wofford senior guard Fletcher Magee told reporters of going unbeaten in the league. “We know we’ve got to play a great game Saturday. They took us to overtime, so we know we’ve got to be a lot better defensively than we were.” Magee scored 31, including seven 3-pointers, and the Terriers needed a basket from Storm Murphy as time expired in overtime to beat Samford 107-106 in the first meeting to increase their winning streak in the series to four games - averaging 105.8 points during that stretch. Wofford coach Mike Young told reporters the team hasn’t changed its focus after being ranked: “I think our team has handled it with great confidence and humility. It’s a big deal, now. It’s a big deal on our campus. But we’re still playing.” Samford would like to match its effort from the first matchup with the Terriers when it made 66.7 percent from the field and 11-of-15 from 3-point range, but the Bulldogs have dropped three straight games after a 90-81 setback against Furman on Thursday.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT WOFFORD (25-4, 17-0 Southern): Magee leads the nation with 131 makes from 3-point range (37 in the last six games), connecting on 42.1 percent from behind the arc, and tops the team with 20.1 points per game. Senior forward Cameron Jackson contributes 14.8 points on 58.4 percent shooting and a team-high 7.5 rebounds while Murphy dishes out a team-best 3.2 assists. Junior guard Nathan Hoover became the 50th Terrier to reach 1,000 points in his career Thursday, joining Magee and Jackson, and scores 12.9 per game with 71 makes from behind the arc.

ABOUT SAMFORD (16-14, 6-11): Junior guard Brandon Austin scored a career-high 31 points to lead the way in the first matchup with Wofford, but is averaging just 8.5 over the last four contests to drop his season mark to 12.8 - third on the team. Junior guard Josh Sharkey leads the way for the Bulldogs in scoring (16.7) and assists (7.3) - including 19 and a career-best 16, respectively, against Wofford in late January. Senior center Ruben Guerrero has three double-doubles in the last five games and averages 13.5 points along with team-highs of 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

TIP-INS

1. Samford freshman F Robert Allen averages 9.4 points overall and has hauled in 44 rebounds combined over the last three contests.

2. Wofford sophomore F Keve Aluma is second on the team in rebounding (6.9) and shoots 66.7 percent from the field.

3. Three of the last five meetings have ended in overtime and another was a four-point verdict in regulation.

PREDICTION: Wofford 88, Samford 78