BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS COACHING STAFF QUICK FACTS Head Coach: Scott Padgett (Kentucky, 1999) Record at Samford: 0-0 (First season) GENERAL INFORMATION Career Record: Same Location: Birmingham, Ala. Assistant Coach: Jake Headrick (Montevallo, 2005) Founded: 1841 Tenure: Third season Enrollment: 4,833 Assistant Coach: Sidney Ball (UAB, 2005) Nickname: Bulldogs Tenure: First season School Colors: Red (PMS 200) and Blue (PMS 289) Assistant Coach: Charles Newton (Tennessee Tech, 2011) Arena (Capacity): Pete Hanna Center (5,000) Tenure: First season Press Row Phone: (205) 726-2377 Undergraduate Student-Assistant Coach: Marc Salyers Tenure: First season Affi liation: NCAA Division I Dir. of Basketball Operations: Brandon Gilbert (Florida, 2012) Conference: Southern Tenure: First season President: Dr. Andrew Westmoreland Video Coordinator: Matthew Powell (Samford, 2014) Alma Mater/Year: Ouachita Baptist University/1979 Tenure: First season Director of Athletics: Martin Newton Asst. Dir. of Operations: Aaron Greenwood (Faulkner, 2009) Alma Mater/Year: Samford/1983 Tenure: First season Assistant Video Coordinator: Andrew Langley (Alabama, 2014) Tenure: First season ATHLETICS COMMUNICATION Undergraduate Student Manager: Matt Barnett Director (MBB Contact): Zac Schrieber Tenure: First season Offi ce Phone: (205) 726-2802 Cell Phone: (205) 532-3476 Home Phone: (205) 532-3476 TEAM INFORMATION E-mail: [email protected] STARTERS RETURNING (2) Assistant Athletic Director: Joey Mullins PPG RPG APG SPG Offi ce Phone: (205) 726-2799 #25 Michael Bradley, Sr., C 3.5 3.6 0.2 0.0 Cell Phone: (205) 532-3477 #00 Nnamdi Enechionyia, So., G 1.4 0.8 0.2 0.2 Home Phone: (205) 822-3609 E-mail: [email protected] STARTERS LOST (3) PPG RPG APG SPG Assistant Director: Herb Brooks #32 Tim Williams, So., F 17.6 7.3 0.8 1.3 Offi ce Phone: (205) 726-4005 #4 Isaiah Williams, Fr., PG 11.9 1.8 3.4 0.8 Cell Phone: (251) 282-8375 #10 Connor Miller, Jr., G 6.4 3.9 2.1 0.7 E-mail: [email protected] SID Fax: (205) 726-2545 ADDITIONAL LETTERMEN RETURNING (5) Website: www.samfordsports.com PPG RPG APG SPG #35 Tyler Hood, Sr., F 7.9 3.1 0.8 0.5 #1 Brandon Roberts, So., G 4.0 0.9 0.6 0.1 HISTORY #2 Brandon Hayman, Sr., G 2.7 1.2 0.2 0.3 First Year of Basketball: 1901-02 #24 Eric Adams, So., G 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 All-Time Record: 1041-1269 (.451), 96 seasons #33 Emeka Ikezu, So./F 0.7 1.0 0.1 0.1 All-Time Division I Record: 516-655 (.441), 41 seasons NCAA Tournament Appearances/Most Recent: Two/2000 NON-STARTING LETTERMEN LOST (6) NCAA Tournament Record: 0-2 #11 Raijon Kelly, Jr., G 10.1 2.5 2.5 0.8 Most Recent NCAA Opponent: Syracuse, L (79-65) #23 Jordan Capps, Fr., F 5.2 3.5 0.8 0.3 NCAA Midwest Regional, Cleveland, Ohio #21 Chris Longoria, So., G 3.8 1.5 1.0 0.5 #5 Russell Wilson, So., PG 3.0 1.4 2.3 0.6 #15 Hamilton Bailey, Sr., G 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 2013-14 INFORMATION #12 Tony Thompson, Sr., G 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 Overall Record: 13-20 Conference Record/Finish: 6-10/T-7th NEWCOMERS (7) Postseason Result: Defeated Appalachian State, 70-56, in the #4 Marcus Johnson (5-11, 185, G, Jr., Wallace State JC) opening round of the SoCon Tournament; Lost to #5 Jamal Shabazz (6-6, 205, G/F, Jr., Lamar State College) #10 Christen Cunningham (5-11, 160, G, Fr., Lexington, Ky.) Davidson in the quarterfi nals, 77-54. #11 Evan Taylor (6-4, 175, G, Fr., Cincinnati, Ohio) Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3 #15 Darius Jones-Gibson (6-1, 175, G, Jr., Barton County CC) Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/9 #24 Gerald Smith (6-4, 185, G, Fr., Carbon Hill, Ala.) Newcomers (Freshmen/Transfers): 7 (4/3) #55 Alex Peters (6-8, 210, F/C, Fr., Mountain Brook, Ala.)

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS NUMERICAL ROSTER NO. NAME HT. WT. POS. CL./EXP. HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL 0 Nnamdi Enechionyia G/F 6-6 175 So./1VL Hagerstown, Md./St. James School 1 Brandon Roberts G 6-1 165 So./1VL Decatur, Ala./West Morgan HS 2 Brandon Hayman G 6-3 190 Sr./3VL Braselton, Ga./Mill Creek HS 4 Marcus Johnson G 5-11 185 Jr./TR Washington, D.C./Wallace State JC 5 Jamal Shabazz G/F 6-6 205 Jr./TR Pfl ugerville, Texas/Lamar State College 10 Christen Cunningham G 6-2 185 Fr./HS Georgetown, Ky./Cordia School 11 Evan Taylor G 6-4 175 Fr./HS Cincinnati, Ohio/Paul VI HS 13 Eric Adams F 6-7 185 So./1VL Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS 15 Darius Jones-Gibson G 6-1 175 Jr./TR Lexington, Ky./Barton County CC 24 Gerald Smith G 6-4 185 Fr./HS Carbon Hill, Ala./Carbon Hill HS 25 Michael Bradley C 6-10 250 Sr./1VL Chattanooga, Tenn./Vincennes University 33 Emeka Ikezu F/C 6-9 230 So./1VL Greensboro, N.C./Hargrave Military Academy 35 Tyler Hood F 6-6 210 Sr./3VL Lenoir City, Tenn./Lenoir City HS 55 Alex Peters F/C 6-8 210 Fr./HS Mountain Brook, Ala./Mountain Brook HS ALPHABETICAL ROSTER NO. NAME HT. WT. POS. CL./EXP. HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL 13 Eric Adams F 6-7 185 So./1VL Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS 25 Michael Bradley C 6-10 250 Sr./1VL Chattanooga, Tenn./Vincennes University 10 Christen Cunningham G 6-2 185 Fr./HS Georgetown, Ky./Cordia School 0 Nnamdi Enechionyia G/F 6-6 175 So./1VL Hagerstown, Md./St. James School 2 Brandon Hayman G 6-3 190 Sr./3VL Braselton, Ga./Mill Creek HS 35 Tyler Hood F 6-6 210 Sr./3VL Lenoir City, Tenn./Lenoir City HS 33 Emeka Ikezu F/C 6-9 230 So./1VL Greensboro, N.C./Hargrave Military Academy 4 Marcus Johnson G 5-11 185 Jr./TR Washington, D.C./Wallace State JC 15 Darius Jones-Gibson G 6-1 175 Jr./TR Lexington, Ky./Barton County CC 55 Alex Peters F/C 6-8 210 Fr./HS Mountain Brook, Ala./Mountain Brook HS 1 Brandon Roberts G 6-1 165 So./1VL Decatur, Ala./West Morgan HS 5 Jamal Shabazz G/F 6-6 205 Jr./TR Pfl ugerville, Texas/Lamar State College 24 Gerald Smith G 6-4 185 Fr./HS Carbon Hill, Ala./Carbon Hill HS 11 Evan Taylor G 6-4 175 Fr./HS Cincinnati, Ohio/Paul VI HS

Head Coach: Scott Padgett (Kentucky, 1999) Assistant Coaches: Jake Headrick (Montevallo, 2005), Sidney Ball (UAB, 2005), Charles Newton (Tennessee Tech, 2011) Director of Basketball Operations: Brandon Gilbert (Florida, 2012) Video Coordinator: Matthew Powell (Samford, 2014) Undergraduate Student-Assistant Coach: Marc Salyers Assistant Director of Basketball Operations: Aaron Greenwood (Faulkner, 2009) Assistant Video Coordinator: Andrew Langley (Alabama, 2014) ROSTER BREAKDOWN BY STATE Alabama (4): Eric Adams (Hoover), Alex Peters (Mountain Brook), Brandon Roberts (Decatur), Gerald Smith (Carbon Hill). Georgia (1): Brandon Hayman (Braselton). Kentucky (2): Christen Cunningham (Georgetown), Darius Gibson (Lexington). North Carolina (1): Emeka Ikezu (Greensboro). Ohio (1): Evan Taylor (Cincinnati). Tennessee (2): Michael Bradley (Chattanooga), Tyler Hood (Lenoir City). Texas (1): Jamal Shabazz (Pfl ugerville). Virginia (1): Nnamdi Enechionyia (Springfi eld). Washington D.C. (1): Marcus Johnson.

BY CLASS Seniors (3): Michael Bradley, Brandon Hayman, Tyler Hood. Juniors (3): Darius Gibson, Marcus Johnson, Jamal Shabazz. Sophomores (4): Eric Adams, Nnamdi Enechionyia, Emeka Ikezu, Brandon Roberts. Freshmen (4): Christen Cunningham, Alex Peters, Gerald Smith, Evan Taylor.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

2014-15 SAMFORD SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME Nov. 8 CLARK ATLANTA (Exhibition) BIRMINGHAM 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at Purdue< (Big Ten Network Plus) West Lafayette, Ind. 6 p.m. Nov. 16 at Pittsburgh< (ESPN Regional) Pittsburgh, Pa. Noon Nov. 19 AUSTIN PEAY BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Nov. 22 Cal State-Northridge< Little Rock, Ark. 1 p.m. Nov. 23 Missouri-Kansas City/Arkansas-Little Rock< Little Rock, Ark. TBA Nov. 26 at Kennesaw State (ESPN3) Kennesaw, Ga. 1 p.m. Nov. 28 at Louisiana Tech (ASN) Ruston, La. 8 p.m.

Dec. 1 JACKSONVILLE (ESPN3) BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Dec. 4 VMI* BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Furman* Greenville, S.C. 3 p.m. Dec. 14 at Wake Forest (ESPN3) Winston-Salem, N.C. 5 p.m. Dec. 16 at Presbyterian College Clinton, S.C. 6 p.m. Dec. 21 LOUISIANA-MONROE BIRMINGHAM 2 p.m. Dec. 28 CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY BIRMINGHAM 1 p.m. Dec. 30 AUBURN-MONTGOMERY BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m.

Jan. 3 WOFFORD* (ASN) BIRMINGHAM 2 p.m. Jan. 5 ETSU* BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at The Citadel* Charleston, S.C. 6 p.m. Jan. 10 at Woff ord* Spartanburg, S.C. 6 p.m. Jan. 15 CHATTANOOGA* BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Mercer* Macon, Ga. 3 p.m. Jan. 22 UNCG* BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Jan. 24 WESTERN CAROLINA* BIRMINGHAM 6 p.m. Jan. 31 FURMAN* BIRMINGHAM 6 p.m.

Feb. 5 at Western Carolina* Cullowhee, N.C. 6 p.m. Feb. 7 at ETSU* Johnson City, Tenn. 3 p.m. Feb. 12 THE CITADEL* BIRMINGHAM 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Chattanooga* Chattanooga, Tenn. 5 p.m. Feb. 21 MERCER* BIRMINGHAM 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at UNCG* Greensboro, N.C. 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at VMI* Lexington, Va. Noon

March 6-9 Southern Conference Tournament Asheville, N.C. TBA

Home games are in ALL CAPS - All times Central; dates and times are subject to change. < Game is a part of the Maui on the Mainland Tournament. * - Southern Conference game

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS COVERING THE BULLDOGS INTERVIEWS WITH SCOTT PADGETT Your host for Samford basketball is Director of Athletic The best time to reach Head Coach Scott Padgett is Communications Zac Schrieber. He can be reached at 10–11 a.m., Monday–Friday, at 205-726-2920. If he is not 205-726-2802 or by cell phone at 205-532-3476. Please contact available, please leave a message, and he will return the call. him for any assistance in your coverage of Samford basketball. It is preferred but not necessary to contact the sports information offi ce to set up an interview with Padgett. CREDENTIAL REQUESTS All members of media working a game must request PLAYER INTERVIEWS credentials from the athletic communications offi ce. Early All player interviews must be set up through the sports infor- requests are helpful, enabling media to be added to the mation offi ce at least one day in advance. Players are available parking list before games. Please make requests at least one daily after practice. Phone interviews are permitted if requested business day before a game. Pick up unmailed credentials at in advance through the sports information offi ce. the Will Call Booth at the main entrance of Pete Hanna Center. Requests should be made to Zac Schrieber at POSTGAME INTERVIEW POLICIES 205-726-2545 or [email protected]. At the conclusion of each game, the Samford athletic communications department will make requested players PRESS ROW available on the court for interviews. Working media should enter through the bottom-level Head Coach Scott Padgett’s fi rst postgame responsibility entrance on the west side of Pete Hanna Center. Press facilities after meeting with his players is his live radio show. Following are located on the north and south sides of the arena. Seating the radio show, Padgett will be available for interviews. for print and broadcast media is located on the north side. The For interviews with the opposing coach or players, please press row phone number is 205-726-2377. make arrangements before the end of the game with the sports Radio: Each team’s radio crew is provided seating on the information director from that institution. north side of the court. One phone line is provided for the visitor’s radio broadcast on a reciprocal basis. If additional lines PARKING are needed, they must be secured by contacting Ann Kolter in Press parking is at a premium at Pete Hanna Center. Spaces are Samford Telephone Services at 205-726-2996. allotted on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis. Please contact Zac Television: For television coverage, broadcast seating will Schrieber at 205-532-3476 to make arrangements. be made available to the originating network. Contact the sports infor mation offi ce for details. All telecasts must have the TICKET INFORMATION approval of the Samford director of athletics. Photography: Samford follows offi cial NCAA guidelines The Samford Athletics Ticket Offi ce off ers season packages, regarding media represen tatives on the endlines. single-game tickets and 2015 Southern Conference Photographers shooting from the endlines must display their Tournament tickets. credentials at all times. Only photographers shooting for The main box offi ce opens 60 minutes before tip-off and is accredited news agencies, Samford University Photographic located on the third fl oor of the east side of Pete Hanna Center. Services, freelance photo graphers shooting for the Samford For the most up-to-date Samford basketball ticket information, sports information or basketball offi ces, or for the opponent’s please call the ticket offi ce at 205-726-DOGS, email sports information offi ce will be issued credentials. [email protected] or go to www.samfordsports.com. Media staffi ng the contest will not be allowed in the team areas for any reason. Anyone violating the accepted media RADIO guidelines will be removed by Samford representatives Samford basketball games can be heard in Birmingham on responsible for event management. both 99.5 FM The Vibe and WVSU-FM 91.1. Additionally, 100.5 FM Jox2 is now home to Inside Samford Sports, a weekly PRESS ROW SERVICES one-hour radio show that airs August to May. The show features Head Coach Scott Padgett, as well as coaches and players from Statistics, game notes and game-day programs with fl ip cards Samford’s remaining 16 intercollegiate teams. will be made available for the media in the press room before the game. Box scores will be provided at halftime, and complete stat booklets will be available shortly after the INTERNET conclusion of the game. Every eff ort to provide quotes from All Samford basketball games can be heard online for free at Head Coach Scott Padgett and the opposing coach will be www.samford.edu/wvsu. Information on Samford’s radio and made. internet broadcast services can be found at A pregame meal and drinks will be available in the www.samfordsports.com under “Media.” hospitality room before the game and at halftime. Archives of game broadcasts and the Samford Sports Weekly radio show can be found online at www.samfordondemand.com, along with team video highlights.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

HEAD COACH SCOTT PADGETT NCAA CHAMPION EIGHT-YEAR NBA VETERAN

Scott Padgett, the former collegiate standout at the University of Kentucky, NCAA national champion and fi rst-round NBA draft pick, was offi cially named the 28th head basketball coach at Samford University on June 6, 2014. “I’m very excited to have the opportunity to be the head coach at Samford University and to coach these outstand- ing young men,” said Padgett. “This program is going to be all about our players; former, current and future. It’s going to be all about promoting the mission of this great university and help- ing these young men in their academic, athletic and spiritual growth.” Padgett, a Louisville, Ky., native was a fi rst-round draft pick selected 28th overall by the Utah Jazz in 1999 and spent eight years in the NBA. The 6-foot-9 forward recorded 1,142 points in four years with the Jazz before spending the next two seasons with the Houston Rockets. He played the 2005-06 campaign with the New Jersey Nets. Padgett began the 2006-07 season Padgett recently completed his second season as an as- with the Rockets before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, sistant coach at Samford. He joined the Bulldogs’ staff in April where he fi nished out his career. of 2012 after spending the previous two seasons at Manhat- During his time at Kentucky from 1995-99, Padgett played tan College. During his valuable stint at Manhattan, Padgett for legendary head coaches Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith. assisted in the development of the Jaspers’ post and front court Padgett helped lead the Wildcats to the 1998 NCAA National players. Championship, where he was named to the NCAA All-Final During the 2011-12 campaign, he played a key role in Four team, as well as the NCAA All-East Regional team and All- Manhattan’s 15-game win improvement as the Jaspers’ fi nished Southeastern Conference during the regular season. 21-13 and played in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, the “We’re going to play an exciting brand of basketball here program’s fi rst postseason appearance since 2006. The 15-game at Samford, similar to the style I played under Rick Pitino at the win improvement (all against D1 opponents) tied Manhattan University of Kentucky,” Padgett said. “We are going to press, with Toledo, Indiana and Nevada for the most in the country. get up and down the court for 40 minutes and wear down the Prior to joining the Manhattan basketball program, Padgett opposition. It’s going to be a playing style that recruits, current spent the 2009-10 season at his alma mater on Head Coach players and fans will love.” John Calipari’s staff . Kentucky advanced to the Elite Eight of the In 1997, Padgett helped Kentucky to the NCAA champion- NCAA Tournament, fi nished with a 35-3 overall record and was ship game and was also named to the All-Final Four team. A ranked in the top-fi ve of both the Associated Press and ESPN/ true student-athlete, Padgett received All-SEC honors twice for USA Today polls, including a No. 1 ranking on Jan. 25. his work on the hardwood, and he was also honored with Aca- Padgett and his wife, Cynthia, who reside in Homewood, demic All-SEC honors in 1998 and 1999 for his success in the have two sons, Logan (13) and Lucas (11), as well as a daughter, classroom. Padgett scored 1,252 points over his career, which Layla (7). ranks 32nd on Kentucky’s all-time list. “This community has been a blessing to me for the last “This is an opportunity for me to extend my family,” said two years,” Padgett said. “My family and I love it here and are Padgett. “I’m a huge believer in family and these guys will be entrenched in the Homewood community. We’ve made a lot of an extension of my family. These players will be a part of my life friends and look forward to continuing to build those relation- forever.” ships as the head coach at Samford University.”

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS Q&A WITH SAMFORD HEAD COACH SCOTT PADGETT

You’ve been the head coach for five months now. How has the You recently had a photo shoot at Talladega. How will racing transition been? equate with Samford basketball this year? “It’s been really good. In the fi rst meeting we had as a team, I “My dad’s a big NASCAR fan and so in growing up around established the way that I wanted to do things, which involved him I really got into it as well. I wanted to do something that a lot of change, and I told the guys that if they were thinking defi nitely related to us as a team, but also something that of leaving, then the time is now. Everybody decided to stay was very much the state of Alabama. I don’t know how much and from that point on, all of the guys have been 100 percent Samford basketball has recruited Alabama in years past, but I bought in. Next up, we had three scholarships left, so we had to do know that we are going to hit this state hard in recruiting. hit the ground running in recruiting and I think we were able to I also like being associated with Talladega. Obviously, speed is get three really good guys. Finally, we were able to get the Ba- what racing is all about and that’s the way we’re going to play. hamas trip done and I believe we are now reaping the benefi ts We’re going to play fast and I thought the two fi t hand in hand. of that trip, because the guys are so much farther along than I thought it was a perfect match.” where we would have been without those 10 early practices.” How tall were you when you were a freshman in high school? “I was 6-1 and a half. I had a big growth spurt between my freshman year and the end of my sophomore year where I went from 6-1 and a half to 6-7. It really helped me along the way, because I was used to shooting jump shots and handling the ball a lot going into my freshman year. That all helped me become a face-up No. 4 man when I eventually stopped grow- ing at 6-9.”

Did you always want to play basketball or did you dabble in some other sports as well? “I played three sports my whole life. I played basketball, football and baseball, and I played all three throughout my sophomore year in high school. I gave up baseball after my sophomore year and then I gave up football following my junior year to really focus on basketball. Basketball’s always been my fi rst love, but I’ve always been a baseball junkie. I love the stats and the history of the game and I was a huge baseball card collector growing up, but basketball was always my fi rst love as far as playing the game.”

You’ve been very supportive of all sports here at Samford? How big is that in developing relationships? “I think it’s always good to develop relationships on campus. I really believe that the more success we have across the board will also help men’s basketball. When the other teams on cam- pus are getting notoriety, it just draws more attention to Sam- ford, which now helps us in recruiting. There’s not a single sport on campus that I don’t personally like, and I love going out and Talk a little bit about #FOE and what that means for this team? watching them compete. It’s fun for me to go and watch all the “I don’t really invent a lot of things, but I’ve worked under a lot games, but I also think it’s huge to get the whole team involved of great coaches and have been around a lot of great people. and supporting their fellow student-athletes.” My former teammate and boss, Steve Masiello, came up with the saying Team Over Everything, and I kind of liked it, but at #PlayFast is one of your themes this season. Will the full-court Kentucky it was all about Family. So, I kind of combined those defense spark the offense, or vice versa? two concepts and now we have Family Over Everything (#FOE). “They are going to coincide with each other. The thing that’s I really believe that this team is a family and that goes with ev- going to get us playing fast off ensively is going to be our erybody’s extended families, as well as the staff and everybody defense. We’re going to be a defensive team. There are going to involved with Samford basketball.” be a lot of times when we score a lot of points, but those points are going to be directly related to playing great defense and

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

getting the rebound. Once we get a defensive rebound, we will time with the Houston Rockets, while a lot of my off ensive sets be pushing to get a layup every time down the court, or at least and things were picked up during my time in Utah with Jerry a wide-open shot. We’re going to be in attack-mode all game Sloan. Over the years, I’ve tried to be a really good learner and long. We teach our guys that we want to dictate what the of- have been able to mimic a lot of the good things that I’ve been fense does when we’re on defense, and we also want to dictate around.” what their defense does when we are on the off ensive side of the ball. There will be times when teams try to slow us down, Your kids are already very tall for their age. How tall are they but we’re going to keep the game going 90 miles per hour all expected to get? the time.” “My oldest son, Logan, has been projected to be anywhere from 6-11 to 7-2. He’s already about 6-4 and a half now at 13, so Looking at your team this year, what are some things that will he’s pretty big. My middle kid, Lucas, is supposed to be any- be its strongpoints? where from 6-10 to 7-1, so he’s not going to be a runt either. “Our press and our ability to get out and run will be two of our Layla is supposed to be anywhere from 5-11 to 6-2, which is still better aspects this season. Not only have we been concentrat- very tall for a girl, so they are all going to be pretty tall. They all ing on playing fast, but we also have a very fast team. I think really enjoy sports on their own and I defi nitely try to be more our guard play this year is going to be the best since I’ve been dad and fan with then, as opposed to coach.” here. We have four guards in Christen Cunningham, Darius Jones-Gibson, Marcus Johnson and Brandon Roberts that can For one week only, if you could trade lives with anyone in the all really attack off the bounce. We also have some guys that are world, who would it be? basically guards playing at the forward position in Gerald Smith “I wouldn’t have minded being Michael Jordan in his prime. I and Evan Taylor, who can also really attack the basket as well.” played against him a couple times when I was in the league, but it was when he was with the Wizards. Jordan in his prime, You’ve played under some of the best coaches in the nation. or I guess Derek Jeter anytime would be good as well, but I’d How has that helped mold your career? probably stick to Jordan, because basketball is my sport.” “Any time you’re around great players or great coaches, you try to soak in and learn as much as you can from them. Defensively, What do you want fans to remember the most about this year’s who I am is 98 percent Rick Pitino, as far as pressing and speed- team? ing the game up. That style is what I grew up on and learned “How hard we play and that it’s exciting basketball to watch. from and it’s kind of molded me as a coach. As far as getting We’re going to have some great moments, but we’re still for the out and marketing and selling the program, I learned all that most part a very young team. Even the juniors and seniors here from John Calipari. I try to have a pretty even-keel demeanor have never played this way before, so it’s a learning experience. most of the time and a lot of that comes from Tubby Smith. There are going to be some great moments and there are going He wasn’t much of a yeller or a screamer, but he was defi nitely to be some not-so-great moments, but every game they’ll see intense and we could tell when he wasn’t happy. My prepara- that the style of play is exciting and that we play hard. Those tion side of everything comes from Jeff Van Gundy and my two things are the most important.”

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

THE PADGETT FILE PLAYING CAREER

COACHING EXPERIENCE NBA 1999-2003 Utah Jazz (28th pick in 1999) 2014-present Head Coach Samford University 2003-05 Houston Rockets

2012-14 Assistant Coach 2005-06 New Jersey Nets Samford University 2006-07 Houston Rockets 2010-12 Assistant Coach Manhattan College 2007 Memphis Grizzlies

2009-10 Assistant Coach NCAA University of Kentucky 1995-99 University of Kentucky (National Champions in 1998) EDUCATION 1999 B.A., social work University of Kentucky (Two-time Academic All-SEC)

PERSONAL Born Aug. 19, 1976 Hometown Louisville, Ky. Wife Cynthia Kids Logan (13), Lucas (11), Layla (7)

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

ASSISTANT COACH JAKE HEADRICK Jake Headrick, a native of Hamilton, Ala., and graduate of the University of Montevallo, is in his third season as an assistant coach at Samford University. Headrick, who is a tireless recruit- er, joined Samford’s staff in April of 2012 after spending the previous three seasons as the head coach at Chipola College in Marianna, Fla. Headrick compiled an overall record of 67-22 during his stint at Chipola and also tallied a 20-16 mark in Pan- handle Conference play. Headrick joined the Chipola basketball staff for a second time in 2008-09 after serving as an operations assistant and video coordinator at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., during 2007-08. While at Ole Miss, Headrick helped the Rebels, a preseason last-place pick in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference, to the semifi nal round of the National Invitation Tournament and 24 wins, which was second most in school his- tory. He handled administrative duties and assisted with both academics and on-campus recruiting. During his fi rst stint as an assistant coach at Chipola in 2006-07, Headrick helped lead the Indians to a NJCAA runner- up fi nish and the most wins in school history (33). While at Chipola, Headrick coached National Player of the Year JaMarcus Ellis, as well as a total of six players who went on to sign Divi- sion I scholarships. Headrick assisted with on-fl oor coaching, recruiting and scouting. THE HEADRICK FILE Before arriving at Chipola, Headrick served as an assistant coach at the University of Montevallo for a season, where he COACHING EXPERIENCE helped the Falcons reach the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and set a school record for victories with 29. At Montevallo, Head- 2012-present Assistant Coach rick coached the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year Samford University James Hall and two All-Americans. 2009-12 Head Coach Headrick graduated from the University of Montevallo in Chipola College 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology. As a (Marianna, Fla.) two-year letterman for the Falcons, Headrick helped the team 2008-09 Assistant Coach win back-to-back GSC championships and reach the NCAA Chipola College Division II Sweet Sixteen both seasons. During his playing days 2007-08 Video Coordinator at Montevallo, Headrick helped the Falcons to a 49-16 record. Ole Miss Headrick graduated from Hamilton High School in 2001, where he was a three-time all-county selection. He averaged 2006-07 Assistant Coach Chipola College 21 points per game his senior season and helped the team to its fi rst 20-win season in seven years. 2005-06 Assistant Coach Headrick’s wife, Tommye, is also a native of Alabama and is University of Montevallo from nearby Trussville. PLAYING EXPERIENCE 2003-05 University of Montevallo EDUCATION 2005 B.S., kinesiology University of Montevallo PERSONAL Hometown Hamilton, Ala. Wife Tommye

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

ASSISTANT COACH SIDNEY BALL Sidney Ball, a native of Duncanville, Ala., joined Samford’s coaching staff in the summer of 2014 after spending the previ- ous season at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss. Af- ter starring at UAB during his playing days from 1999-2004, Ball spent the next nine years working as an academic counselor at Mississippi State, Georgia State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). A four-year letterwinner at UAB, Ball helped lead his squad to a 22-10 overall record as a senior, as well as a 12-4 mark in Conference USA competition. He also played a key role in the Bulldogs’ upset of top-seeded Kentucky in the 2004 NCAA Tournament as the Blazers earned a trip to the Sweet 16. Ball fi nished his illustrious collegiate career as a two-time captain. Ball spent six seasons working in UAB’s academic services department following his graduation in 2005. His main re- sponsibilities included tracking the academic progress of the Blazers’ women’s basketball, cross country and track and fi eld teams, as well as assisting with the CHAMPS/Life Skills pro- gram. Prior to joining Mississippi State’s basketball staff as the academic counselor in 2013, Ball spent the previous two years at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., where he was in charge of student-athlete community service for the entire THE BALL FILE athletic department. Ball helped organize over 5,000 hours of community service for student-athletes during his time with the Panthers. COACHING EXPERIENCE While advising the men’s basketball team at Georgia State, Ball helped lead the team to its highest grade-point average 2014-present Assistant Coach in three seasons. His teams also won a number of academic Samford University awards. 2013-14 Academic Counselor Mississippi State University

2011-13 Academic Counselor Georgia State University

2005-11 Academic Counselor UAB

PLAYING EXPERIENCE 1999-2004 UAB (2004 Sweet 16 appearance)

EDUCATION 2005 B.S., justice science; minor in community health UAB

PERSONAL Hometown Duncanville, Ala.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

ASSISTANT COACH CHARLES NEWTON

Charles Newton is in his third full season at Samford University and his fi rst as assistant coach. He was promoted to his current position in June of 2014 by Head Coach Scott Padgett. Prior to being named an assistant coach, Newton served two seasons as the Bulldogs’ video coordinator. Newton joined Samford’s staff in April of 2012 under then Head Coach Bennie Seltzer. A native of Lexington, Ky., and former player at Tennessee Tech, Newton spent the 2011-12 campaign as the Director of Basketball Operations at his alma mater. Newton, a graduate of the prestigious Lexington Catholic High School, played two seasons for the Golden Eagles before graduating from Tennessee Tech in 2011. He saw action in 15 games as a senior and turned in a stellar 68.8-percent shooting mark from the fi eld — the highest fi eld-goal percentage of any Golden Eagle. Newton also converted 3-point baskets at a 55.6 percent clip, going 5-for-9 from long range. His team-high 23 points led Tennessee Tech to a 106-44 win over Crowley’s Ridge on Dec. 30, 2010. During his tenure with the Golden Eagles, Newton was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court for his strong academics, and received the team’s John P. Hendrix Leadership Award. He also partici- THE NEWTON FILE pated in a Reach USA foreign ministries program in which he traveled to China to play basketball with other players from the COACHING EXPERIENCE Lexington area. In high school, Newton led Lexington Catholic in steals and assists and was a Team Captain. He comes from a rich family 2014-present Assistant Coach background in coaching and athletic administration — his Samford University grandfather, C.M. Newton played at Kentucky and served as 2012-14 Video Coordinator head basketball coach at Alabama and Vanderbilt. He later Samford University became athletic director at Kentucky, where he hired Rick Pitino to lead the basketball program. He was inducted into the 2011-12 Director of Basketball Operations Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. Tennessee Tech University Newton’s father, Martin Newton, served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Kentucky and is now the Director of PLAYING EXPERIENCE Athletics at Samford. Newton has one son, Charles Newton IV 2009-11 Tennessee Tech University (2). EDUCATION 2011 B.S., sociology; minor in exercise science Tennessee Tech University PERSONAL Hometown Lexington, Ky. Children Charles Newton IV (2)

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS BRANDON GILBERT

Brandon Gilbert is in the midst of his fi rst season as the Director of Basketball Operations at Samford University under the tute- lage of Head Coach Scott Padgett. In his role, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the men’s basketball program, travel planning, game scheduling, directing the summer bas- ketball camps, and various other duties. Gilbert also oversees the team’s student managers and assists with video scouting and game planning. Gilbert spent the previous three years at the University of Florida (2011-2014). At Florida, Gilbert experienced two South- eastern Conference championships (2013, 2014) and an SEC Tournament title (2014). Gilbert was a member of Billy Dono- van’s staff that appeared in two Elite Eights (2012, 2013) and a Final Four (2014) in the NCAA Tournament. Gilbert was also a part of history as Florida achieved a perfect 21-0 conference record in 2014, the fi rst such accom- plishment in the SEC, with the Gators fi nishing 36-3 overall. The Florida Gators accumulated a brilliant 91-22 record in Gilbert’s three seasons with the program. A native of Miami, Fla., Gilbert graduated from the Univer- sity of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2012 and earned his master’s degree in sport management in 2014. THE GILBERT FILE EXPERIENCE

2014-present Director of Basketball Operations Samford University 2011-14 Graduate Assistant University of Florida (2014 Final Four) EDUCATION 2014 M.S., sport management University of Florida

2012 B.A., sociology University of Florida

PERSONAL Hometown Miami, Fla.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER VIDEO COORDINATOR MATTHEW GRIFFIN MATTHEW POWELL

Matthew Griffi n is in the midst his second season as an assistant athlet- Matthew Powell is in the midst of his third season as a member of ic trainer at Samford University where he serves as the primary athletic the Samford basketball program and his fi rst year as the team’s video trainer for the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program. His responsibilities coordinator. Prior to graduating from Samford University in the spring include prevention, immediate care, management, treatment and of 2014, Powell served as the Bulldogs’ team manager. rehabilitation of athletic injuries for Samford’s student-athletes. Powell, who was a critical member of the basketball staff as the Griffi n also coordinates any other medical needs of the basketball team manager, excelled in the day-to-day operations of the depart- team while in communication with team physicians and other health- ment and was named the video coordinator by Head Coach Scott care specialists. Padgett. Prior to joining Samford in the summer of 2013, Griffi n worked for the Cullman Regional Medical Center and covered local high schools in the North Alabama area. During his stint from 2011-13, he handled the athletic training duties for Hayden High School (2011), Vinemont High School (2011-12) and Fairview High School (2012-13), where he covered football, baseball, softball, boys and girls basketball, track and fi eld and cross country. Griffi n, a native of Brunswick, Ga., attended the University of Georgia from 2003-08 and graduated with a bachelor of science in kinesiology—athletic training. Throughout his time at Georgia, he worked as an athletic training assistant with the football team in 2006, the equestrian team in 2007 and with the men’s basketball team in 2007-08. During his fi nal season at Georgia, the Bulldogs’ basketball team rallied to win the 2008 Southeastern Conference Tournament and earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Griffi n attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from 2008-10, and earned his masters of education in health education. During his time with the Blazers, he primarily worked with the football team, as well as the men’s and women’s golf programs.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ASSISTANT COACH BASKETBALL OPERATIONS MARC SALYERS AARON GREENWOOD

Marc Salyers, who is ranked sixth on Samford’s all-time scoring list with Aaron Greenwood, who played collegiately at Faulkner University, is in 1,604 career points, is in his fi rst season on the Bulldogs’ staff as a stu- the midst of his fi rst season as the Assistant Director of Basketball Op- dent assistant. During his well-publicized time as a player, Salyers led erations at Samford University. In his role, he assists with the day-to- Samford to NCAA Tournament appearances in both 1999 and 2000. day operations of the men’s basketball program, travel planning, game He will be a part of the staff throughout the 2014-15 campaign as scheduling, directing the summer basketball camps, and various other he completes all of his hours at Samford and earns his degree. duties. Greenwood also helps to oversee the team’s student managers Salyers starred under former head coach John Brady and scored 537 and assists with video scouting and game planning. points as a junior in 1999-2000. He also led the Bulldogs in scoring as a senior in 2000-01 with 498 points. After leaving Birmingham in 2001, Salyers spent the next 13 sea- sons playing professionally in Europe. Most recently, the former two- time all-conference performer competed for the BC Orchies basketball squad in France. Throughout his brilliant professional career, Salyers also played in Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, Ukraine, Georgia and South Ko- rea. In 2007, he led Roanne to the 2007 French League championship. Salyers, a native of Owensboro, Ky., also earned a spot on the New Orleans Hornets’ 2009 Summer League roster, which also featured current NBA players Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, as well as Julian Wright. The team was coached by New Orleans scout Rob Wer- dann.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS BASKETBALL OPERATIONS ZAC SCHRIEBER AARON GREENWOOD

Zac Schrieber, a 2002 graduate of Louisiana State University and Andrew Langley is in his fi rst season as the Assistant Video Coordinator specialist in Social Media, is in the midst of his ninth year at Samford at Samford University. A native of Vestavia Hills, Ala., Langley recently University, and his fi rst season in his new role as Director of Athletics graduated from the University of Alabama, where he served as a team Communication. Prior to his recent transition, he spent two full years manager for the Crimson Tide. as the Bulldogs’ Sports Information Director. Currently, Schrieber still fulfi lls all of his duties as Media Relations Director where he serves as the primary contact for Samford men’s basketball, soccer, golf and tennis. In addition, he oversees the school’s burgeoning eff orts on Twitter, and assists in the maintenance and promotion of both the Bulldogs’ Facebook and Instagram pages. During his fi rst seven seasons at Samford, Schrieber served as an Assistant Sports Information Director. For his consistent eff orts and tireless dedication, he was then promoted to Sports Information Direc- tor in the summer of 2011. Along with the day-to-day duties related to the aforementioned sports, Schrieber’s responsibilities also include overseeing the media relations aspects of the volleyball program and acting as the primary assistant with the football team. He is also charged with managing the Sports Information Department’s staff of 10 student-workers. With over 15 years of experience in collegiate athletics, Schrieber has steadily expanded his role to include radio appearances and TV interviews. In November, he will begin his second full season as the color commentator for Samford’s road basketball games, which are to be broadcasted live on 99.5 FM The Vibe. Prior to joining the Samford Athletic Department in August of 2004, Schrieber worked as the Media Relations Assistant at the Univer- sity of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) for one year.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS NNAMDI ENECHIONYIA 0

Position: Guard/Forward Height: 6-7 Weight: 175 Year: Sophomore Hometown: Springfi eld, Va. High School: St. James School

Freshman (2013-14): Earned the fi rst start of his Samford career on Feb. 27 against Appalachian State and played a career-high 18 minutes . . . played a good game against Davidson in the second round of the Southern Conference Tournament as he tallied four points, two blocks, one rebound, a steal and an assist in only 12 minutes of action versus the Wildcats . . . turned in his best performance as a Bulldog on Jan. 30 against Woff ord as he dropped in fi ve quick points in only six minutes of playing time . . . he fi nished 2-of-4 from the fi eld versus the Terriers . . . he scored three points for a third time in the course of the season on Dec. 14 at FGCU as he fi nished 3-of-4 from the free-throw line . . . tallied his three points in only six minutes of game action . . . tied his career high with eight minutes of playing time versus UT Martin on Dec. 4 and also tallied career-highs in points (3) and rebounds (3) . . . earned eight minutes of playing time against Kentucky State on Dec. 1 and fi nished with two points and a rebound . . . fi nished with three points, a rebound and a steal at Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 26 . . . logged fi ve minutes of game action and scored all three of his points from the charity stripe . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

High School: Averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a senior at St. James School in Hagerstown, Md. . . . an ever-im- proving prospect, his fi rst love was soccer and he only started dedicating himself to basketball in 2010 . . . blessed with the natural ability to shoot from anywhere on the court, he registered the top single-game scoring mark in the Tri-State area this season with a 41-point performance in December . . . chose to attend Samford over interest from Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Drexel, Quinni- piac, Colgate and Mount Saint Mary’s . . . also an outstanding cross country runner for the Saints.

Personal: Born Nov. 18, 1993 . . . parents are Maura McCarthy and Buchi Enechionyia . . . younger brother, Obi Enechionyia, is a freshman basketball player at Temple University . . . majoring in mathematics.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH ENECHIONYIA Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones Favorite athlete: Reggie Miller I have to admit, I am really good at: soccer Favorite musical artist: The Weeknd I can’t imagine going a week without: music

ENECHIONYIA’S CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2013-14 17-4 6-23 .261 3-11 .273 9-15 .600 13-0.8 24-1.4 4 3 2 TOTAL 17-4 6-23 .261 3-11 .273 9-15 .600 13-0.8 24-1.4 4 3 2

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS BRANDON ROBERTS 1

Position: Guard Height: 6-1 Weight: 165 Year: Sophomore Hometown: Decatur, Ala. High School: West Morgan

Freshman (2013-14): Exploded for a career-high 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the fi eld at Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 26 . . . he logged 27 minutes of action against the Lumberjacks and fi nished 3-of-5 from 3-point range in the contest . . . turned in one of his most important outings of the season on Feb. 8 versus Chattanooga as he tallied 13 points and two rebounds in 21 minutes of game action . . . came off the bench to score 11 points in just 18 minutes of playing time against Davidson on Feb. 6, as he went 3-for-5 from the fi eld and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line . . . tallied eight points, two rebounds and a pair of assists versus Western Carolina on March 1, as he fi nished 3-of-7 from the fi eld and 2-of-3 from the free-throw line . . . proved to be an off ensive catalyst for the Bulldogs at Furman on Feb. 3 as he tallied seven points and three rebounds in 11 minutes . . . played 17 minutes against No. 23-ranked Indiana on Nov. 15 and fi nished with six points and a steal . . . scored four points in only nine minutes of action against Davidson in the second round of the Southern Conference Tournament . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

High School: All-state performer at West Morgan High School . . . averaged an impressive 32.5 points per contest and was chosen to play in the prestigious Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game . . . rated as the No. 3 prospect in the state of Alabama by Future150. com . . . fi nished his senior campaign with a single-season mark of 1,006 points, a total which ranks eighth all-time in Alabama high school history . . . also fi nished second all-time for most fi eld goals made in a season with 354 . . . a prolifi c scorer, he also tallied 50 points per game a few times, but his best total was a 51-point performance, which ranks 42nd in Alabama history . . . garnered recruiting interest from a number of Division I universities and chose to attend Samford over Auburn, Tennessee State, Mississippi State, Murray State, Marshall, Tulane, Lipscomb and UNC Wilmington.

Personal: Born Oct. 2, 1994 . . . parents are Paula and Ricky Roberts . . . his cousins, Travis Cohn, Rico Pickett and Mark Mason all played collegiate basketball at Jacksonville University, Alabama and William Jewell College, respectively . . . his cousin, Jazmine Powers starred on the Samford women’s basketball team and is currently an assistant coach with the program . . . majoring in journalism mass communications with an emphasis in broadcasting.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH ROBERTS I can’t imagine going a week without: playing ball I have to admit, I am really good at: playing music My most prized possession is: my gold chain Favorite meal: chicken tenders and fries Favorite musical artist: John P. Kee

ROBERTS’ CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2013-14 29-4 44-114 .386 8-41 .195 19-28 .679 27-0.9 115-4.0 18 4 0 TOTAL 29-4 44-114 .386 8-41 .195 19-28 .679 27-0.9 115-4.0 18 4 0

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS BRANDON HAYMAN 2

Position: Guard Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 Year: Senior Hometown: Braselton, Ga. High School: Mill Creek

Head Coach Scott Padgett on Hayman “Brandon has a very key role for us this year, because he’s versatile and he’s very tough. He doesn’t back down from people. You can play him inside at the No. 4 position, because I think he’s taken on the mindset of being a defensive stopper. I think he’s really improved on his perimeter defense, so now he can play both inside and outside. He provides a lot of versatility, a lot of senior leadership and he’s very hungry. He hasn’t gotten a steady diet of minutes in his career. He’s had some good games here or there, but never a large amount of minutes, so now I think he’s hungry to go out there and show what he can do in his senior season.”

Long and rangy guard whose versatility and athleticism also allows him to play the small forward position . . . can use either hand equally well around the basket . . . already proving himself as an excellent perimeter defender.

Junior (2013-14): Turned in his best performance of the season on Feb. 24 at The Citadel as he fi nished with six points and three rebounds in just nine minutes of playing time . . . played for the fi rst time in 11 games on Jan. 30 at Woff ord as he tallied two points, three rebounds, a block and a steal in seven minutes of game action . . . earned a season-high 12 minutes at Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 26 . . . fi nished with two points and an assist against the Lumberjacks . . . returned from his off season injury on Nov. 21 and logged the fi rst playing time of his junior year at ETSU . . . earned two minutes of game action versus the Buccaneers . . . played nine minutes at Western Kentucky on Nov. 23 and fi nished with six points and two rebounds . . . tallied fi ve points on 2-of-3 shooting from the fi eld on Dec. 14 at FGCU . . . he also fi nished with a rebound and a steal versus the Eagles . . . scored four points in only fi ve minutes of playing time against Davidson in the second round of the Southern Conference Tournament . . . earned his third varsity letter.

Sophomore (2012-13): Started in three games for the Bulldogs and earned playing time in 27 of the team’s 32 contests . . . made the fi rst start of his collegiate career on Nov. 22 against Alcorn State and later earned starts against both UT Arlington and UT Martin . . . averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game . . . led the team with a stellar 63.8-percent shooting mark from the fi eld and played a key role in the Bulldogs’ third-place Southern Conference ranking in the category . . more than half of his rebounds came on the off ensive end of the court (22 of 40) . . . scored a career-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the fi eld against Appalachian State (Jan. 19) as he came off the bench to help lead the Bulldogs to a momentous 72-68 victory . . . played a career- high 24 minutes at Austin Peay on Nov. 9 and fi nished with six points and fi ve rebounds . . . tallied fi ve points, six rebounds and a blocked shot in Samford’s key Feb. 23 win versus UNCG . . . helped lead Samford to a key SoCon victory on Feb. 14, as he registered fi ve points, three steals, two rebounds and a pair of blocked shots against Woff ord in 22 minutes of action . . . turned in a perfect 2-of-2 performance from the fl oor at Chattanooga on Feb. 11 by fi nishing with fi ve points, a rebound and a steal in 12 minutes of game action . . . provided a key spark off the bench against Western Carolina on March 2 as he tallied four points, three rebounds and fi nished 2-of-3 from the fi eld . . . named to the annual SoCon academic honor roll with an impressive 3.45 grade-point aver- age in pre-business . . . earned his second varsity letter.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

Freshman (2011-12): Earned playing time in 28 games as a true freshman . . . fi nished the season averaging 3.3 points and 1.7 points per contest . . . logged an average of 10.4 minutes per game and turned in a 48.8 shooting percentage from the fl oor . . . tied his career-high of 10 points scored against Sam Houston State on Dec. 28, as he led the Bulldogs in scoring on a 4-of-7 shoot- ing performance from the fi eld . . . tallied his team-high 10 points in only 18 minutes of playing time . . . nearly registered the fi rst double-double of his young career on Dec. 17, as he pulled down a personal-best 10 rebounds and scored eight points against Spring Hill . . . scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the fi eld against Lindsey Wilson on Dec. 10 . . . came off the bench to score eight points on 4-of-6 shooting versus Maryland on Dec. 31 . . . played a key role in the Bulldogs’ 55-49 victory against Furman on Feb. 18, as he provided an off ensive spark off the bench with six points on 3-of-4 shooting from the fi eld . . . led the team in rebounds against Spring Hill with 10 . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

High School: Averaged 14 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game as a junior at Mill Creek High School . . . in each of his last two seasons, he was named to both the all-county and all-region teams for his stellar play on the court.

Personal: Born Dec. 17, 1992 . . . parents are Monica and Terrance Hayman . . . majoring in accounting.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH HAYMAN I have to admit, I am really good at: blowing bubbles Favorite place to eat: Moe’s Favorite food: Philly cheesesteak Favorite movie: Napoleon Dynamite Favorite TV show: Catfi sh

HAYMAN’S CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2011–12 28-0 42-86 .488 2-11 .182 7-21 .333 48-1.7 93-3.3 11 8 2 2012–13 27-3 30-47 .638 0-3 .000 7-16 .438 40-1.5 67-2.5 6 11 6 2013–14 12-0 15-23 .652 0-1 .000 2-7 .286 14-1.2 32-2.7 2 3 3 TOTAL 67-3 87-156 .558 2-15 .133 16-44 .364 102-1.5 192-2.9 19 22 11

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS MARCUS JOHNSON 4

Position: Guard Height: 5-11 Weight: 185 Year: Junior Hometown: Washington, D.C. Previous School: Wallace State Junior College

Combo guard who can play either the one or the two . . . led his junior college team to the national championship tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., which is among the highest level of competition . . . expected to provide a lot of experience . . . has already played in 60-plus games in junior college, so he’ll bring that knowledge and experience to Samford as well.

Junior College: Spent a pair of quality seasons at Wallace State Junior College in Hanceville, Ala. . . . as a true freshman at WSJC, he immediately burst onto the scene by averaging 9.9 points for the Eagles, while dishing out a team-high 88 assists in 30 starts . . . last season, as a sophomore, he averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game . . . shot 44.7 percent from the fi eld and registered 14 double-digit scoring performances . . . against Northeast Mississippi Community College on Dec. 11, he tallied a season-high 26 points, fi nished 10-of-13 from the fl oor and 4-of-5 from 3-point range . . . led Wallace State Junior College to a 28-7 overall record as a freshman . . . additionally, he captained the Eagles to their third Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC)/Region 22 state tournament championship in the last fi ve years, including two in the last three seasons.

High School: Prepped at Millbrook High School in Raleigh, N.C.

Personal: Born Dec. 12, 1993 . . . parents are Marcus and Latoya Johnson . . . majoring in sociology.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH JOHNSON My most prized possession is: my daughter, Kylie Kamil Johnson Person you would most like to meet: Kemba Walker Favorite musical artist: Kevin Gates Favorite TV show: Martin Favorite athlete: Dwyane Wade

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS JAMAL SHABAZZ 5

Position: Guard/Forward Height: 6-6 Weight: 205 Year: Junior Hometown: Pfl ugerville, Texas Previous School: Lamar State College

Played in one of the top junior college leagues in the nation . . . led his team to well over 20 victories where he was a starter in every single game . . . expected to provide some tremendous athleticism as well as some toughness . . . strong rebounder and shot-blocker . . . likes to get up and down the fl oor . . . great guy . . . possesses tons of experience.

Junior College: Averaged 9.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game at Lamar State College . . . started in 31 of the team’s 32 contests and drained 42.9 percent of his 3-point attempts . . . fi nished his sophomore season ranked No. 27 in the nation with 183 defen- sive rebounds . . . also listed at No. 32 in the country with 277 total boards . . . in his fi rst game at LSC, he tallied a double-double by scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

High School: Prepped at Pfl ugerville High School in Pfl ugerville, Texas . . . earned all-district and all-state honors in both his sophomore and junior seasons . . . averaged 11.8 points and 5.2 rebounds as a junior . . . helped lead the Panthers to a stellar 29-5 overall record, including an unblemished 12-0 mark against district opponents . . . did not compete for PHS as a senior, because his eligibility had been exhausted after playing varsity as an eighth grader at Summit Christian Academy . . . not just a gifted ath- lete, he always excelled in the classroom and was selected to advance two academic grades in elementary school . . . at one point, he was on pace to graduate from high school at 16 years old.

Personal: Born Sept. 11, 1994 . . . parents are Cheryl Hill and Abdul Shabazz . . . cousin, Karim York, played basketball at Prairie View University . . . cousin, Jeremy Green, played basketball at Stanford University . . . cousin, Torri Williams, played for the Houston Texans . . . majoring in sports administration.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH SHABAZZ The strangest nickname I ever had was: Rockmaaaahh!! I have to admit, I am really good at: playing basketball and dancing Person I would most like to meet: LeBron James Favorite place to eat: Olive Garden Favorite movie: Malibu’s Most Wanted

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS CHRISTEN CUNNINGHAM 10

Position: Guard Height: 6-2 Weight: 185 Year: Freshman Hometown: Georgetown, Ky. High School: Cordia School

Dynamic fl oor general who looks to get everyone involved . . . really good at breaking down defenses off the bounce and creating for himself and others . . . expected to be a great fi t in Samford’s new up-tempo style of play.

High School: Turned in a stellar 2013 high school campaign at the Cordia School in Lexington, Ky. . . . lauded as a three-star recruit by VerbalCommits.com . . . chose to attend Samford over interest from nearly 20 Division I schools, including Houston, Western Kentucky, Marshall and Wright State . . . averaged 20 points per game as a senior and proved to be a varsity starter at both Cordia and Henry Clay High School since his sophomore season . . . represented Kentucky in the annual Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Game in 2013 . . . fi nished his prep career as the 18th-ranked guard in the talent-rich state . . . as a team leader, his Cordia squad fi nished his senior season with a brilliant 23-9 record and as the “All-A” champions . . . led the team with 17 points in the title game and earned fi rst-team all-region and all-district honors . . . also proved to be an all-star in the classroom and fi nished his high school career with a remarkable 3.85 grade-point average . . . for his AAU team, the Louisville Magic, he helped pilot his squad to the 2014 17U Kentucky State Championship . . . averaged 12 points per game as a junior at HCHS.

Personal: Born Sept. 24, 1995 . . . parents are Marilyn Wilson and Shirley Cunningham . . . brother, Christopher, played football at Florida A&M University . . . undeclared major.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH CUNNINGHAM I can’t imagine going a week without: talking to my mama and brothers People (past or present) you would most like to meet: Jesus and Michael Jordan Favorite movies: Any Given Sunday and Paid In Full Favorite musical artists: Jay Z and Fabulous Favorite athlete: Kyrie Irving

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS EVAN TAYLOR 11

Position: Guard Height: 6-4 Weight: 205 Year: Freshman Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio High School: Paul VI

Pass-fi rst point guard with excellent size and length . . . boasts good command of the ball, excellent passing ability and court vision . . . his size allows him to see and deliver the ball over smaller defenders . . . he pushes, advances and moves the ball with good pace, which should make him a valuable cog in Samford’s energetic up-tempo off ense . . . versatile . . . could play as many as four diff erent positions . . . great on-ball defender . . . takes pride in shutting people down.

High School: Chose to attend Samford over interest from West Virginia, South Carolina, Wake Forest and George Washington among a number of additional suitors . . . attended Paul VI High School where he fi nished his senior season as the top-rated point guard in Virginia and as the seventh-best player in the state according to ESPN . . . three-star rated player by VerbalCommits.com . . . led Paul VI HS to its second WCAC title in three years by leading the Panthers to a demonstrative 56-37 victory over DeMatha High School in the championship game . . . the lone senior on his prep squad, he scored 12 points and served as the team’s spark during their key second-quarter run . . . his leadership qualities quickly helped him emerge as a starter at Paul VI, which was high- ly-regarded as one of the best teams in the nation boasting a stellar 31-6 overall record . . . fi nished his senior season averaging 8.5 points per game, while the Panthers won the WCAC championship, the VISAA D1 State championship, and the ACIT championship and was nationally ranked at the end of the year.

Personal: Born April 11, 1996 . . . parents are Kyle Taylor and Linda Jones . . . father played basketball at Xavier University . . . unde- clared major.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH TAYLOR I have to admit, I am really good at: knowing song lyrics Favorite place to eat: Chipotle Favorite movie: The Dark Knight Favorite musical artist: Drake Favorite TV show: Scandal

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS ERIC ADAMS 13

Position: Forward Height: 6-7 Weight: 185 Year: Sophomore Hometown: Hoover, Ala. High School: Hoover

Freshman (2013-14): Looked good in his fi rst playing time of the regular season on Nov. 15, as he registered career-highs in points (2), rebounds (1) and blocked shots (1) at No. 23-ranked Indiana . . . played a minute against Davidson on Feb. 6 in his fi rst South- ern Conference action of the season . . . earned three minutes of playing time against Miles College on Nov. 5 and fi nished with a blocked shot . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

High School: Very athletic player who has a tremendous upside . . . scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds in Hoover High School’s 70-48 victory against Minor High School on Jan. 26.

Personal: Born May 14, 1995 . . . parents are Eric and Cassandra Adams . . . father played basketball at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. . . . undeclared major.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH ADAMS The strangest nickname I ever had was: Scottie My most prized possession is: family Favorite place to eat: Mugshots Favorite musical artist: Frank Ocean Favorite actor: Denzel Washington

ADAMS’ CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2013-14 2-0 1-2 .500 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 1-0.5 2-1.0 0 0 1 TOTAL 2-0 1-2 .500 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 1-0.5 2-1.0 0 0 1

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS DARIUS JONES-GIBSON 15

Position: Guard Height: 6-1 Weight: 175 Year: Junior Hometown: Lexington, Ky. Previous School: Barton County Community College

Tough competitor with an uncanny feel for the game . . . knows what it takes to win . . . shot over 300 free throws last season . . . his junior college league was one of the best in the nation . . . his team won 20-plus games at Barton County Community College . . . has a nose for getting to the basket . . . will provide some great experience.

Junior College: Started every game last season at Barton County (Kan.) Community College where he led his squad in scoring 14 times and proved to be the team’s leading rebounder in four contests . . . fi nished with a solid 1.9 assist/turnover ratio in 2013-14 . . . was also able to create his own scoring as he tallied a 53-percent shooting mark from the fi eld at BCCC . . . signed with Eastern Arizona Community College out of high school . . . as a true freshman at EACC, he started every game of the season and averaged 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per outing . . . also led Eastern Arizona Community College to a 20-10 overall record.

High School: Competed at Tates Creek High School in Lexington, Ky.

Personal: Born April 9, 1994 . . . parents are Jacquetta Gibson and Darrell Jones . . . majoring in sports administration.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH JONES-GIBSON Person you would most like to meet: Kobe Bryant Favorite food: chicken wings Favorite movie: Money Talks Favorite actor: Denzel Washington I have to admit, I am really good at: pool

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS GERALD SMITH 24

Position: Guard Height: 6-4 Weight: 185 Year: Freshman Hometown: Carbon Hill, Ala. High School: Carbon Hill

Played all four years of high school at the varsity level . . . expected to make a sudden impact with his athleticism and his ability to shoot the basketball . . . always plays hard and has a great passion for basketball.

High School: Excelled at Carbon Hill High School where he averaged 23.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 3.1 assists per game as a senior . . . in the 2013 state championship tournament, he scored 32 points against Bibb County, including eight straight points in the fourth quarter where he also drained four 3-point baskets . . . earned 4A Second-Team All-Alabama honors as a senior and junior . . . garnered honorable mention accolades as a sophomore . . . concluded his prep career ranked among the top-25 seniors in Alabama by several recruiting services . . . closed out his high school career with 2,033 points, 1,253 rebounds and 387 blocks . . . led his team to 113 victories in four years . . . as a junior, he averaged 18.7 points, 14.0 rebounds, 5.0 blocks and 3.4 as- sists per game.

Personal: Born Sept. 16, 1995 . . . parents are Kimberly and Bobby Smith . . . undeclared major.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH SMITH I have to admit, I am really good at: public speaking My most prized possession is: my car, “Bat Mobile” Favorite place to eat: Buff alo Wild Wings Favorite movie: Purge II Favorite actor: Will Smith

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS MICHAEL BRADLEY 25

Position: Center Height: 6-10 Weight: 250 Year: Senior Hometown: Chattanooga, Tenn. Previous Schools: UConn and Vincennes University

Head Coach Scott Padgett on Bradley “Mike is going to be the switch that starts our fast-break. He’s the best rebounder on the team and when he rebounds and gets it out to the guard, that’s going to ignite us and get us off to that fast start on the break. He’s a huge part of what we’re going to do in transition. He’s also going to be a huge part defensively in clogging the lane and keeping the ball out of the paint. Those are the big keys for Mike this season. It will also be big for him to stay out of foul trouble. I want him to try to be the best rebounder in the league.”

Originally signed with UConn out of high school . . . spent two years at UConn, but never played in a game . . . will defi nitely add size to the Bulldogs’ front line this season.

Junior (2013-14): Registered the best outing of his Samford career on March 1 against Western Carolina as he scored a personal- best 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Bulldogs’ 93-86 win . . . he also fi nished 5-of-8 from the fi eld and 5-of-6 from the line versus the Catamounts . . . played a key role in the Bulldogs’ 70-56 victory against Appalachian State in the opening round of the Southern Conference Tournament on March 7 as he scored 14 points and pulled down fi ve rebounds . . . turned in a great game against Appalachian State on Feb. 27, as he tallied nine points and 11 rebounds . . . pulled down 10 rebounds against Austin Peay on Dec. 7 and fi nished a perfect 2-for-2 from the fi eld for a total of fi ve points in only 13 minutes of playing time . . . nearly tallied his fi rst career double-double on Dec. 1 with eight points and nine rebounds against Kentucky State . . . turned in a strong performance on Nov. 23 at Western Kentucky as he fi nished with seven points and four rebounds in only 11 minutes of playing time . . . made the fi rst start of his Samford career on Nov. 29 against Campbellsville and tallied seven rebounds and two blocks . . . registered four points and four rebounds against Davidson in the second round of the SoCon Tournament on March 8 . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

2012-13: As a sophomore at Vincennes University in Indiana, he recovered from an injury late in the season and earned playing time in nine games . . . fi nished with 2.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per contest as the Trailblazers tallied a stellar 33-4 overall record and advanced to the Final Four of the NJCAA Tournament.

2011-12: As a redshirt freshman at UConn, he was forced to miss the entire season with an injury . . . famously gave up his scholar- ship to make room for highly-touted 2011 recruit Andre Drummond . . . attempted to transfer to Western Kentucky, but the NCAA denied his appeal to play immediately.

2010-11: Redshirted at UConn.

High School: Led Tyner High School in Chattanooga, Tenn., to a district championship, a sub-state championship and regional title in 2010 . . . averaged 5.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and three blocks per game as a senior and was a 2010 McDonald’s All-America Nominee.

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

Personal: Born June 28, 1992 . . . parents are Jacqueline Phinazee and Bob Smith . . . majoring in pre-business.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH BRADLEY The strangest nickname I ever had was: Shorty I can’t imagine going a week without: basketball I have to admit, I am really good at: the Dougie Person you would most like to meet: Angelina Jolie Favorite TV show: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

BRADLEY’S CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2013–14 28-9 39-80 .488 0-1 .000 20-27 .741 101-3.6 98-3.5 5 1 7 TOTAL 28-9 39-80 .488 0-1 .000 20-27 .741 101-3.6 98-3.5 5 1 7

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS EMEKA IKEZU 33

Position: Forward/Center Height: 6-9 Weight: 230 Year: Sophomore Hometown: Greensboro, N.C. High School: Hargrave Military Academy

Freshman (2013-14): Turned in the best performance of his young up-and-coming career on Jan. 18 at Western Carolina as he scored a personal-best eight points on 3-of-3 shooting from the fi eld in only 10 minutes of playing time . . . tallied two points against Western Carolina on March 1 and helped the Bulldogs to a key 93-86 Southern Conference victory . . . earned a career-high 12 minutes of playing time at Marquette on Dec. 28 and pulled down a pair of rebounds . . . scored the fi rst point of his collegiate career on Dec. 7 versus Austin Peay as he knocked down a free throw in three minutes of playing time . . . came off the bench at Woff ord on Jan. 30 and grabbed six rebounds in just 10 minutes of playing time . . . he also handed out an assist in the contest . . . earned the fi rst playing time of his young collegiate career on Nov. 15 at No. 23-ranked Indiana . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

High School: Originally from Nigeria, he is only three years removed from leaving his friends and family in Africa to move to the United States to pursue his dream of playing basketball . . . an impressive physical specimen, he is long and athletic . . . extremely active on both ends of the court . . . defensively, he plays extremely big and utilizes his wingspan to alter shots on the opponent’s end of the fl oor.

Personal: Born June 3, 1994 . . . full name is Emeka Wisdom Ikezu . . . parents are Onyebuchi and Kachi Ikezu . . . majoring in com- puter science.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH IKEZU The strangest nickname I ever had was: Meskana I can’t imagine going a week without: getting in the gym I have to admit, I am really good at: post moves and rebounding Favorite musician: Bob Marley Favorite movie: Riddick

IKEZU’S CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2013–14 19-0 5-9 .556 0-0 .000 3-8 .375 19-10 13-0.7 4 3 2 TOTAL 19-0 5-9 .556 0-0 .000 3-8 .375 19-10 13-0.7 4 3 2

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS TYLER HOOD 35

Position: Forward Height: 6-6 Weight: 210 Year: Senior Hometown: Lenoir City, Tenn. High School: Lenoir City

2012 SOCON ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM 2012 SOCON MEDIA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Head Coach Scott Padgett on Hood “Tyler is the guy who’s always doing the right thing. He’s always in the right spot and he always gives you 100-percent eff ort. He’s very dependable and I think in the last couple years, he’s been thrown into a role where he was told to be a leader, instead of letting the natural thing take its course. Over the last couple years, we haven’t had any seniors and not many juniors, so it’s hard to tell a sophomore that he’s the leader. Therefore, I didn’t choose any captains right away, because I wanted to see who would emerge as leaders. Now, when it’s not thrown on him, I think Tyler has defi nitely emerged on his own as one of the leaders, and he’s earned it, because he does everything the right way and he leads by example.

“On the fl oor, he provides some versatility, because he can post up, as well as go out to the 3-point line and really shoot the ball. He’s also a little bit of a coach on the fl oor, because he always knows what’s going on.”

Talented power forward who has taken a leadership role on the team . . . expected to be a key contributor again this year . . . one of the most complete off ensive players on the team . . . tremendous post player who has a variety of moves on the low block . . . will be a consistent threat from the 3-point line.

Junior (2013-14): Samford’s active leader in points (815), rebounds (283), assists (87) and 3-point fi eld goals (100) . . . just 185 points shy of becoming the 24th player in school history to reach the prestigious 1,000-point plateau . . . averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game . . . fi nished the season ranked fourth on the team in both scoring and rebounding . . . earned playing time in all 32 games and started in 26 contests . . . logged a total of 679 minutes for an average of 21.2 minutes per outing . . . registered a 45.2-percent shooting mark from the fi eld and a 35.4 percentage from beyond the arc . . . concluded the year with a 77.8 shoot- ing percentage from the free-throw line, which ranked second on the team . . . started all but one Southern Conference games for the Bulldogs and averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per league contest . . . registered 13 double-digit scoring performances, including fi ve straight from Jan. 2 through Jan. 18 . . . scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the fl oor against Woff ord on Jan. 2, and fi nished a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range while adding four rebounds . . . registered 19 points on 8-of- 10 shooting from the fi eld at Jacksonville on Dec. 20 and tallied seven rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot . . . accumulated 15 points, three rebounds and a trio of assists on Jan. 9 at Chattanooga . . . turned in a 5-of-8 performance from the fl oor and added a steal in 25 minutes of action . . . scored a team-high 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting at No. 23-ranked Indiana on Nov. 15 . . . also grabbed four rebounds and knocked down a trio of 3-point baskets in 22 minutes . . . turned in one his best performances of the season on Feb. 8 against Chattanooga as he fi nished with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists . . . he also went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line . . . earned his third varsity letter.

Sophomore (2012-13): Named a Fourth-Team All-SoCon performer in the College Sports Madness preseason poll . . . fi nished the SoCon regular season with a stellar 44.4 shooting percentage (20-of-45) from 3-point range . . . concluded the year with a solid 34.8 percent shooting mark from beyond the arc and played a key role in Samford’s No. 2 SoCon ranking in the category . . . despite an early-season injury, he earned playing time in 25 of the team’s 32 games and started in 18 contests . . . averaged 26.1

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS minutes per outing and averaged 9.1 points and three rebounds per game . . . led the team in scoring fi ve times and in rebounds three times . . . registered nine double-digit scoring games, which ranked fourth on the team . . . turned in his best performance of the 2012-13 campaign on Feb. 28, as he exploded for a season-high 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the fi eld at Appala- chian State . . . paced the Bulldogs in both scoring and rebounding as he also added a season-high seven rebounds versus the Mountaineers . . . scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the fi eld against The Citadel on Feb. 9 . . . went a near-perfect 3-for-4 from 3-point range . . . dropped in 14 points at home against UNCG on Feb. 23, as he fi nished 4-of-8 from the fi eld and 2-of-5 from 3-point range . . . also tallied three rebounds and three assists . . . registered 14 points, three rebounds and two steals versus UNCG on Jan. 24 . . . knocked down a trio of key 3-point baskets against the Spartans . . . earned his second varsity letter.

Freshman (2011-12): Named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team by both the league’s head coaches and the media . . . honored by StatSheet on Jan. 26, by being named the SoCon Freshman of the Week for averaging 20 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest in league contests at Elon and UNCG . . . fi nished the season ranked No. 23 in the SoCon in scoring (11.1 ppg) . . . concluded the year ranked 14th in the conference in fi eld-goal percentage (47.0) . . . averaged 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in the Bulldogs’ last 15 games of the season in which Samford tallied an 8-7 record . . . during his season-ending stretch, he logged an average of 29.3 minutes per game and was shooting 47 percent from the fi eld . . . proved to be one of Samford’s top 3-point shooting threats and played a key role in the Bulldogs’ No. 24 national ranking in 3-point fi eld goals per game with 8.2 . . . led the Bulldogs in scoring nine times and registered 19 double-digit scoring performances . . . fi nished the season ranked second on the team in scoring (11.1 ppg) and fourth on the team in rebounds (3.6 pg.) . . . registered a pair of 20-point outings over the course of the season and added a season-high 10-rebound game versus Mercer on Dec. 7 . . . played a key role in an 86-80 win at Elon on Jan. 19, as he scored a career-high 25 points on an 8-of-13 performance from the fi eld . . . in the key SoCon North Division showdown, he also made a career-high four 3-point fi eld goals . . . continued his outstanding play versus Elon on Feb. 11, by scoring a team-high 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the fi eld . . . drained a career-high fi ve 3-point baskets in the victory over the Phoenix . . . led the team in assists four times, including a fi ve-assist performance against Lindsey Wilson on Dec. 10 . . . registered a game-high 18 points at Appalachian State on Feb. 2, as he connected on a trio of key 3-point baskets and pulled down six rebounds . . . scored 17 points against Mercer on Dec. 7, and fi nished with a double-double by adding a career-high 10 rebounds . . . paced the Bulldogs in rebounding four times, including an eight-rebound game against UNCG on Feb. 9 . . . played a career-high 41 minutes against the Bears . . . earned his fi rst varsity letter.

2010-11: Redshirted . . . had his high school jersey retired on Jan. 4, 2011, in a ceremony held at Lenoir City High School . . . fi nished his illustrious prep career as the all-time leading scorer at LCHS . . . earned seven minutes of playing time in the Bulldogs’ 72-47 exhibition victory against Lindsey Wilson (Nov. 8) . . . tallied two assists and pulled down a rebound in the win.

High School: Earned three-time all-region honors in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons . . . as a senior, he was nominated for McDonalds All-America honors after being named the 2009 district player of the year . . . under the tutelage of coaches Shane Wells and Kevin Windle, he averaged 22.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per game as a senior at Lenoir City High School . . . earned Class 3A All-State honors in both 2010 and 2009, as well as all-district accolades in 2010, 2009 and 2008 . . . was also named the District 4A Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2010 and the all-county most valuable player in both 2007 and 2006 . . . during his illustrious career at LCHS, he fi nished as the all-time leading scorer in school history . . . he was named a 2010 Mr. Basketball nominee in Tennessee and a First-Team Knoxville Prep Extra in 2008.

Personal: Born April 1, 1992 . . . son of Tina and Greg Hood . . . majoring in exercise science with a minor in psychology.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH HOOD I have to admit, I am really good at: time management Person (past or present) you would most like to meet: Abraham Lincoln Favorite musical artist: Thomas Rhett Favorite TV show: The Walking Dead Favorite athlete: Clayton Kershaw

HOOD’S CAREER STATISTICS SEASON GP-GS FG-FGA FG% 3FG-FGA 3FG% FT-FTA FT% REB-AVG PTS-AVG A ST BLK 2010–11 REDSHIRTED 2011–12 30-24 124-264 .470 41-133 .308 44-69 .638 108-3.6 333-11.1 38 17 6 2012–13 25-18 81-186 .435 31-89 .348 35-56 .625 76-3.0 228-9.1 23 20 10 2013–14 32-26 85-188 .452 28-79 .354 56-72 .778 99-3.1 254-7.9 26 16 10 TOTAL 87-68 290-638 .455 100-301 .332 135-197 .685 283-3.3 815-9.4 87 53 26

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS ALEX PETERS 55

Position: Forward/Center Height: 6-8 Weight: 210 Year: Freshman Hometown: Mountain Brook, Ala. High School: Mountain Brook

Plays extremely hard . . . makes winning plays . . . takes charges, blocks shots and dives on loose balls . . . whatever is needed to win, he does.

High School: Led Mountain Brook High School to a stunning 34-3 overall record as a senior en route to the 6A state champion- ship title . . . MBHS fi nished the season as the top-ranked squad in Alabama . . . averaged 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a senior . . . improved tremendously from his junior to senior seasons and boasts a tremendous upside . . . competed in 66 total games at MBHS . . . proved to be an above-average shooter and fi nished his senior campaign with a torrid 59-percent shooting mark from the fi eld . . . against Woodlawn High School on Jan. 21, he scored a season-high 25 points on a near-perfect 7-of-8 shooting performance from the fl oor . . . in a huge game against Alabama’s No. 1-ranked 5A team, Wenonah High School, he proved to be the driving force behind the victory with a career performance of 23 points, nine rebounds and nine blocked shots . . . made 11 of his 17 shots in the win against WHS.

Personal: Born June 1, 1996 . . . undeclared major.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH PETERS The strangest nickname I ever had was: AZ Person (past or present) you would most like to meet: Alexander the Great Favorite meal: steak and fries Favorite musical singer: Jack Johnson Favorite actor: Marky Mark

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK BULLDOG BASKETBALL 2014-15 QUICK FACTS

WWW.SAMFORDSPORTS.COM 2014-15 BASKETBALL FACT BOOK